Marchan home run in ninth shrinks magic number over Dodgers to four

LOS ANGELES – As Shohei Ohtani transformed from pitcher to designated hitter from the third-base dugout railing, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had a question.

Ohtani was through five no-hit innings. He had only completed five innings once all year as a starter. The Dodgers did not want to extend him beyond that. Roberts, he explained postgame, wanted to gauge Ohtani’s readiness to go beyond five in October. “We’ve been very steadfast in every situation as far as (his usage),” Roberts said postgame. 

The Phillies, like everyone else, knew what was coming. Still, it was a relief to see the Dodgers go to the bullpen.

“They took him out,” Rafael Marchan, whose three-run ninth inning home run won the game, said. “They took him out and we had a chance. We won the game.” 

The hungover Phillies made the Dodgers pay for not having a better plan after Ohtani. They ambushed Wrobleski for five runs, including a three-run home run from Brandon Marsh. The Phillies added on another a couple batters later when Max Kepler hit his 17th home run of the year against Edgardo Henriquez to make it 6-4. 

Marchan broke up LA’s combined no-hitter with a base hit to lead off the inning. His big moment, however, came in the ninth with the game tied 6-6. Marchan was at-bat against one of the Dodgers’ best arms in Blake Treinen. The right-hander didn’t want to give Bryson Stott, who he called “a good contact hitter,” a pitch to hit. He opted to use the open base. Roberts intentionally walked Stott to bring up Marchan with two on and two out.

On a 3-1 pitch, Marchan drilled a cutter inside and hit it off the top of the fence and into the Phillies bullpen in right field for a go-ahead three run home run. 

Marchan picked up on Treinen’s plan for Stott. 

“I just wanted him to come to me and give me the best chance to put my best swing,” Marchan said. “When it was 2-0, he threw the sinker and then he threw another offspeed. 3-1, I was just ready for my pitch. I hit the ball well. I was ready for that.” 

“Treinen’s got some nasty stuff,” Marsh said. “It was a hell of an at-bat. Professional at-bat. We needed it big time. 

The Phillies bench, still tired from last night’s party, went nuts. 

“I was ready to run on to the field like we were in the bottom of the ninth,” Marsh said. 

The 26-year-old Marchan has one of the toughest jobs in baseball. He has started only 28 times this year. He needs to put in the work on both sides of the plate as a switch hitter. Hitting is already hard. What Marchan was able to do against one of the best relievers in baseball was impressive. 

“He had great at-bats all night,” Thomson said. “He’s done a great job for us all year. He plays once every fifth day, once every sixth day. And to be prepared as he is not only behind the plate, but offensively too. He’s gotta do double work because of being a switch hitter. He has just done a fabulous job. He really has.” 

It’s a theme for the post trade deadline Phillies, who now have a 6.5-game lead over the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed in the National League playoffs. Before July 31, they were a good team who too often relied on star power to carry them. Now, there is a new hero every day. 

“I just try to enjoy it as best as I can,” Marchan said. “The way that we’ve been playing is more important.”