Marlins-Phillies preview

PHILADELPHIA -- The Miami Marlins recorded an uplifting victory Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, but manager Don Mattingly was not about to get too carried away afterward.

They beat the Phillies 3-2 on Martin Prado's leadoff homer off reliever Brett Oberholtzer in the 11th inning, after tying the game with two runs off Philadelphia closer Jeanmar Gomez in the ninth.

The Marlins had been 0-40 this season when trailing after eight innings, so Prado was moved to call the victory "significant."

Teammate Christian Yelich, who had an RBI double in the ninth, did not disagree.

"You kind of feel like you stole that one," he said.

The victory was the sixth in seven games for the Marlins (50-42), who hold a one-game lead over the New York Mets in the battle for the National League's second wild-card berth.

"Obviously," Mattingly said, "these guys are playing until that last out."

At the same time, he did not wish to attach as much importance to Monday's result as Prado did.

"To be able to win some important games is good for the club, because you keep sustaining, but then tomorrow's another day," Mattingly said. "Three days from now if you lose three in a row, this win means nothing."

The Marlins will try to keep the ball rolling in the second game of a four-game series Tuesday night, when they send young right-hander Jose Urena to the mound against Vince Velasquez (8-2, 3.32).

Urena was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans after Monday's game. He went 1-1 with a 7.52 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the Marlins earlier this season, and was 1/3 with a 3.99 in 10 minor league starts. He has fashioned a 2.25 ERA in four career relief appearances against the Phillies.

Velasquez has won his last three starts, beating Colorado 5-3 his last time out. He went six innings in that one, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking two.

"I'll take it," he said when asked about the first half of the season after that game, according to Major League Baseball's official web site. "Everyone has their ups and downs. You're not going to be perfect all the way through."

The 24-year-old Velasquez started off the season strong, then went on the disabled list in June with right biceps tendinitis. He has not gone more than six innings in the three starts he has made since returning, as the Phillies continue in their attempts to rebuild their rotation with young pitchers.

One of them, 23-year-old Aaron Nola, made his first start since July 2 Monday, throwing six shutout innings before departing. He had been held out in an attempt to regain his form after a five-start stretch in which he went 0-4 with a 13.50 ERA.

Manager Pete Mackanin called Monday's start "very encouraging," but was less enthused about an offense that produced four hits and struck out 16 times, 14 of those coming against Miami All-Star Jose Fernandez.

"I don't care who is pitching," he said. "That's too many."

The Phillies, who entered Monday's games with a major league-worst .222 batting average at home, also managed just a single hit against the New York Mets' Jacob deGrom in a 5-0 loss Sunday.