PHILADELPHIA -- Edward Cabrera was in a prime spot to take a major step forward when he took the mound Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Coming off one of the best starts of his career Friday against the Padres, Cabrera was staked to a three-run lead before he even threw a pitch against the first-place Phillies. As good of a sign as it was to see him throw seven scoreless innings against San Diego, it was just as important for Cabrera to build off that outing.

"We'll find out today, right?" manager Skip Schumaker said pregame when asked if that last start indicated Cabrera had turned a corner. "Because we've had these good starts, then we've had three bad ones, good one, bad one.”

Unfortunately for Cabrera, that pattern continued as his night instead ended with tossing a cooler in the dugout in frustration in the Marlins' 9-5 loss to the Phillies.

“Sometimes Cabby leaves the mound or dugout after a rough start and you don’t see too much emotion,” Schumaker said. “I actually liked the emotion today when I took him out of the game. It shows that he cared -- and that’s a really good sign.”

Despite traffic on the bases in each of the first three innings, Cabrera limited the damage to one run apiece in the second and third. He wasn't as fortunate in the fourth.

With Miami holding a 5-2 lead, the 26-year-old righty loaded the bases with two outs, setting the stage for a game-altering grand slam by Kyle Schwarber that turned a three-run lead into a one-run deficit.

All said, Cabrera allowed six runs on six hits and four walks with only two strikeouts over four innings. This is the fifth time in 13 starts this season that Cabrera has walked at least four batters. Only three pitchers have more four-walk outings, and all three -- James Paxton, Dakota Hudson and Luis Gil -- have started at least 18 games.

“The walks were something that really hurt me again today,” Cabrera said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr.

After starting the season on the IL with a right shoulder impingement, Cabrera tossed a 10-strikeout gem in his season debut. He then posted a 9.39 ERA over his next four starts before the shoulder issue sent him back to the IL. Cabrera entered Wednesday, though, with a 2.00 ERA over his past five starts, including back-to-back scoreless outings.

"You have like these three unbelievable innings, then it can get away from him really quick," Schumaker said. "Or he can start out with three walks in the first, then go five clean. It blows your mind how he goes through these peaks and valleys in a game."

Those peaks and valleys are not only a microcosm for Cabrera's season, but in a larger sense, his young career.

In his debut season in 2021, Cabrera had a 5.81 ERA in seven starts. He seemingly had a breakout year in '22 when he posted a 3.01 ERA over 14 starts, but he responded with a 4.70 ERA in the first half of '23. Cabrera closed last season strong, with a 3.31 ERA following the break.

“I want to help the team,” Cabrera said. “You’re part of the team, you feel you belong on the team and you want to do your best for the team.”

Cabrera was staked to an early lead by Jonah Bride, who continued his impressive run with a no-doubt three-run homer in the top of the first inning and a sac fly in the fourth for a four-RBI night. Bride, who walked three times and had an RBI single in the series opener, has reached base safely in all 15 games he's played dating back to the July 30 Trade Deadline.

"He's making the most of his opportunity," Schumaker said. "Jonah's always hit in the Minor Leagues, so coming up here, he just needed a shot."

Bride has been just one of a handful of bright spots for the Marlins since they made a flurry of moves at the Deadline. Another is Xavier Edwards, who recorded his seventh stolen base in the past six games -- including at least one in four straight.

Cabrera had also been on that list -- and he should have another five or six starts to work his way back.

“He’s got to have a really good second half to make a statement,” Schumaker said. “It’s never about the stuff -- the stuff is as good as anybody’s in the Major Leagues. It’s can he minimize damage? That’s the biggest thing for him, because it seems like it speeds up.”