Walk-off defeat sours Castano's career day

PHILADELPHIA -- The Marlins were one strike away from capturing series victories over the Astros and Phillies to open a three-city trip. Instead, they were walked off for the second time in a 3-1 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

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“Obviously that one's disappointing with the way we threw the ball today to get to that point,” said manager Don Mattingly, whose club has an MLB-high-tying six walk-off defeats in 2022. “I don't know how else to say it. I’ve had enough of those for the year.”

Here are three takeaways from the finale:

Castano’s career performance
With scheduled starter Pablo López (right wrist contusion) throwing another bullpen session on Wednesday to see whether he can return this weekend in New York, Daniel Castano was thrust into action.

In his first MLB start of the season, Castano set career highs for innings (6 2/3) and pitches (105) in a scoreless outing. Castano held the Phillies hitless in eight opportunities with runners in scoring position, including in the sixth when Rhys Hoskins led off with a triple. He induced three straight groundouts off the bats of Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Didi Gregorius.

“I remember last year, I was like, ‘I’ve got to do my best or else I'm going to get sent down,’ and I needed to go five-plus innings,” Castano said. “Now it's just, take the ball every five days, do my job.’ Honor the Lord is how I think about it, and then whatever happens, happens.”

López may be nearing a return, but Edward Cabrera landed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow tendinitis. Mattingly said the club is being “overly cautious.” In Cabrera’s absence, Castano is the logical solution for that spot in the rotation.

Much-needed day off
As evidenced by righty Tommy Nance taking over for Castano to face lefty slugger Kyle Schwarber, the Marlins had several high-leverage arms unavailable to conclude a stretch of nine games in nine straight days. Cole Sulser going on the IL with a right lat strain before the game didn’t help matters.

Nance froze Schwarber with a full-count curveball at the top of the zone to end the seventh and strand two runners, while Anthony Bass worked a scoreless eighth while pitching for the third consecutive day for the first time this season.

Southpaw Tanner Scott, who has solidified the back end of the bullpen, got the ninth in a 1-0 ballgame. But he went to full counts against the first three batters.

With two runners on and two outs, Scott was one strike away from victory. He decided on a fifth straight slider, and it hung in the middle of the plate for Garrett Stubbs’ three-run homer. Entering the game, Scott had thrown his slider 72.4% of the time, and rightfully so, since opponents had a .379 slugging percentage on it.

“I trust every pitch that me and Nick [Fortes] were calling,” said Scott, who is 5-for-6 in save opportunities. “Did I get a little too slider-happy? Probably. But it all has to do with location. I threw it right down the middle. Can't do that.”

Captain finding footing
After making a jumping tag of would-be base stealer Alec Bohm to finish off a double play in the fourth, shortstop Miguel Rojas led off the fifth with a homer off the foul pole. He also singled in the second.

Since his first three-hit game of the season on May 28, Rojas is 15-for-56 (.268) with two doubles, three homers and eight RBIs. It’s a relief for Rojas, who had 29 hits in April and May combined. The City of Brotherly Love always seems to give Rojas confidence: He is 51-for-162 (.315) with five homers at Citizens Bank Park, which is the site of his “Air Miggy” alter ego.

Following Thursday’s off-day, Miami will begin a stretch of 13 straight gamedays. The Marlins will need everyone to be in top form this weekend, when the club plays the NL-leading Mets for the first time this season.

“You want to get the results every single time that you get the opportunity to win games, especially at this time,” Rojas said. “We're getting so close to .500, but we’ve got nothing to do [but] keep going forward and keep fighting every single day, because we're going to have another top team coming up in the Mets.”