Marsh's continued excellence, rookie's home run spark Phillies' win

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PHILADELPHIA – Brandon Marsh was a bottom-of-the-lineup batter throughout his six-year MLB career, until earning a promotion this season.

It’s also a fact that the Phillies’ minor-league system has not been particularly robust, with various evaluations regularly ranking it among MLB’s less fertile farm systems.

But baseball brings surprises, which is among its many qualities.

Sometimes they come in fleeting, unforgettable moments. Other times they are lasting trends.

On the night of June 15 at Citizens Bank Park, Marsh's continued success and a rookie's big moment helped frame the Phillies’ 7-0 win over the Miami Marlins in the start of a 3-game series.

First and foremost, Zack Wheeler was his usual self, silencing the visitors while allowing two hits and striking out a season-high nine in six scoreless innings.

He is now 6-1 with a 2.01 ERA, the best through his first 10 starts in Wheeler's career. Tim Mayza, Jonathan Bowlan and Chase Shugart completed the shutout.

“What he does every time out,” marveled interim manager Don Mattingly about Wheeler, “and I'm not sure he always feels like he has his best stuff or best location. But he just doesn't give in, keeps making pitches, and keeps getting into the game. It's pretty amazing, really, what he does.”

Memorable moment for rookie Rincones

The Phillies had been shut out in two of their last three games over the weekend in Milwaukee. They were not this time, thanks in large part to Marsh and Gabriel Rincones Jr., a minor-league call-up last week making his home debut. J.T. Realmuto's two-run homer was also a welcomed aspect.

Rincones is 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds and appears built for the longball. He had 44 homers in his first three minor-league seasons, including a career-high 18 last year with Lehigh Valley.

 He had missed the start of this season with left knee soreness but was summoned from the IronPigs last week for a new right-field platoon with Derek Hill, just acquired from the White Sox.

Rincones was hitless in three at-bats with the Phillies before launching a home run that soared high into the right-field seats just inside the foul pole in his first plate appearance Monday in the second inning, giving the Phillies their first run and earning avid applause from the 39.241 in attendance.

“I daydreamed about that and tried to think about what it would feel like,” he said afterward of his dream-come-true moment."

It summoned memories of an April 18 game here in which another prospect, Felix Reyes, homered in his first big-league at-bat. The last time two Phillies rookies homered for their first MLB hits was in 1988, when Ron Jones and Ricky Jordan did so.

Rincones termed the experience "epic," adding "I don't want this feeling to end."

Reyes went 6-for-38, which equates to a .158 batting average, before returning to Triple A.  Rincones may or may not fare better, though he’ll certainly be playing more regularly and have a better chance.

"He's been good," Realmuto said. "Puts together good at-bats. Had a big swing tonight. He's a professional. Goes about his business the right way. Excited for his future coming here."

Marsh continues stellar season

Marsh, now batting cleanup, arrived at the ballpark third among National League hitters with a .322 average, which is 54 points above his career average. Now he's batting .324.

He curled a liner to left field for a single in his first at-bat. The left-handed Marsh came up again in the third inning and lined a double off the right-field wall, the opposite trajectory of his previous lash but serving his purpose just the same. He scored when Rincones grounded into a fielder’s choice for his second RBI of the night.

Marsh, much deservedly, also remained among the top vote getters to perhaps earn a start in the July 14 All-Star Game being played in Philadelphia.

"Great for him, great for us," Mattingly said, "and it's good to see that nationally he's starting to get recognized."

Contact Kevin Tresolini at [email protected] and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Marsh's continued excellence, rookie's home run spark Phillies' win

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