Phillies stay in wild-card race with 14-2 win vs. Marlins

MIAMI (AP) -- The Philadelphia Phillies want to keep playing next week, even if they are desperate for some rest.

Needing sleep, but needing a win more, the Phillies stayed in the NL wild-card race Friday night by drubbing the Florida Marlins 14-2.

Elias Says

Philadelphia had six doubles, two triples and two home runs in its 14-2 win over the Marlins in Florida on Friday. The Phillies' 10 extra-base hits were their most in one game since they had 10 in a 15-7 win over the Orioles at Veterans Stadium on June 15, 2001, and it was their highest total in a road game since 1993 (10 extra-base hits in an 11-inning win at Wrigley Field on April 18). • For more Elias Says, Click here.

The victory came barely 12 hours after the Phils arrived at their team hotel following a second successive late-night finish in Washington. Thursday night's 3-1 loss ended at 2:07 a.m., and the Phillies reached their team hotel in Fort Lauderdale at 8:20.

But they hardly looked bleary-eyed. Philadelphia totaled 18 hits, including five by Shane Victorino and two homers by Pat Burrell and remained two games behind Los Angeles and San Diego, the wild-card and NL West co-leaders, with two games left in the regular season. One more loss would eliminate the Phillies, who also would be knocked out if the Dodgers and Padres both win one more game.

"Definitely everyone is tired," Victorino said. "We found a way to do it and overcome what happened last night and put up 14 runs."

The Dodgers began a three-game series at San Francisco by rallying in the ninth inning for a 4-3 win Friday night.

"We need Barry Bonds to get hot," Phils second baseman Chase Utley said.

Burrell was hot for Philadelphia. He hit a three-run homer following an intentional walk to Ryan Howard and then added a solo homer, giving him 29 this year. That broke the Phils' franchise record of 215 homers set in 2004.

Burrell reached base five times and scored four runs. Victorino had a career-high five hits by the sixth inning and finished 5-for-6, driving in three runs.

The only Phils starter to go hitless was Howard, who went 0-for-3 with two walks to remain at 58 homers.

"You would think they would come out weak and not ready to play," Marlins catcher Matt Treanor said. "But that wasn't the case. Those guys know what they have on the line."

Even Jamie Moyer (5-2) had a hit -- and scored his first run this year. He allowed one run, departing after five innings with a 13-1 lead and beating Florida for the third time this month.

Moyer accompanied the team on its trip Friday morning, rather than flying to Florida a day ahead of his start, as pitchers sometimes do.

"The travel and lack of sleep is overrated," Moyer said. "When you get to this point in the season, you've got to go out and play. Everybody is tired; every game means something."

Brian Moehler (7-11) gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings, hiking his ERA to 6.57. Florida fell to 5-12 against Philadelphia this year.

"They've beat up on us all year," manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm tired of it, and I know our players are tired of it."

The young Marlins have won only four of their past 16 games, but there's still some intrigue surrounding their final series. Miguel Cabrera is challenging for the NL batting title, several players are bidding for rookie of the year and Girardi is expected to be fired after the season.

Cabrera was robbed of a hit by right fielder David Dellucci but finished 1-for-3, dropping his average to .340. Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez leads the NL at .345.

Florida rookie Hanley Ramirez led off the first with a triple and scored on Cabrera's sacrifice fly, but the lead didn't last long. Burrell started the second with a double and scored on Abraham Nunez's groundout.

Victorino doubled in the third and, with two outs, Girardi ordered Howard walked. Burrell homered on the next pitch and then homered again in a three-run fifth for a 13-1 lead.

The game took 3 hours, 28 minutes and ended at 10:38 p.m., capping a long day for the Phillies.

"It's never long," manager Charlie Manuel said, "when you win."

Game notes
Moehler went 0-6 in his final eight starts. ... With his 100th run scored, Utley became the 21st player to reach 130 runs, 200 hits, 30 home runs and 100 RBI. ... Burrell's multihomer game was his 14th.