Walker Buehler and three relievers combined on a five-hitter as the Philadelphia Phillies nipped the visiting Miami Marlins 1-0 on Thursday.
Buehler (10-7) pitched five scoreless innings to help Philadelphia (94-65) move within two games of idle Milwaukee (96-63) for the top seed in the National League playoffs. Both teams have three games remaining, with the Brewers holding the tiebreaker.
With its second straight loss, Miami (77-82) was eliminated from postseason contention. Marlins starter Janson Junk (6-4) allowed one run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out four without a walk.
Buehler worked around a pair of walks in the first inning, setting the stage for his teammates to push across a run in the bottom half. Harrison Bader singled to center and advanced on a one-out hit by Bryce Harper before coming home on Alec Bohm’s groundout.
Buehler again ran into issues in the third, as he gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases before retiring Liam Hicks on an inning-ending popup. He allowed two more baserunners in the fourth, but the veteran right-hander worked around it with help from a line-drive double play off the bat of Griffin Conine.
Philadelphia made some noise in the fourth with one-out singles from Bohm and Brandon Marsh. However, Junk got J.T. Realmuto to line out and then sat down Max Kepler on a strikeout to end the frame.
Buehler retired the Marlins 1-2-3 in the fifth to end his night. He gave up three hits — all singles — and three walks while striking out two.
Philadelphia’s Taijuan Walker came on for the sixth and promptly allowed two baserunners, although he got the next three hitters — including strikeouts of Conine and Connor Norby — to keep the visitors scoreless.
Walker logged another frame before Matt Strahm retired the Marlins in order in the eighth.
After a 61-minute rain delay, David Robertson slammed the door in the ninth for his second save.
