Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Carlos Ruiz's solo home run in the 10th frame barely cleared the high wall in left, but it was enough to lift the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Florida Marlins and complete a three-game sweep at Sun Life Stadium.
"He has a quick bat," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Ruiz. "This is the best I've seen him swing since he started in the big leagues."
Ruiz stayed red hot, just like the Phillies, who won the final four games of their six-game road trip and returned home a season-best 12 games over .500. The Phillies catcher finished with three hits and three runs batted in, while Raul Ibanez and Placido Polanco each added three hits in the victory.
Ryan Madson (4-1) struck out the side in the ninth and Brad Lidge skated around a leadoff single in the 10th to pick up his 12th save. The Phillies have won seven straight extra-inning games.
Will Ohman (0-1) gave up the Ruiz homer in the 10th, but Leo Nunez blew a save opportunity by surrendering a pair of runs in the ninth. Gaby Sanchez drove in two runs for the Marlins, losers in four straight.
Ruiz's at-bat would not have happened if not for a disputed call by third-base umpire Bob Davidson in the bottom of the ninth. With Hanley Ramirez at second and one out, Sanchez scalded a grounder that appeared to cross a portion of the third-base bag, but Davidson ruled the grounder foul. Sanchez eventually struck out and Madson escaped to force extra frames.
"That was the worst call I've seen in my 30 years of pro baseball," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez stated. "That was a fair ball by six inches."
Both bullpens struggled in the late innings, beginning with the Phillies' relief effort in the seventh.
Mike Stanton hit a hard grounder under Jimmy Rollins' glove then Wes Helms walked. After Roy Oswalt turned and fired to third for the first out on a bunt attempt, he was replaced by southpaw J.C. Romero.
Donnie Murphy greeted him with a ground-rule double that plated one run and Ramirez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Romero then missed on four straight pitches to Logan Morrison, forcing in the tying run.
Jose Contreras replaced Romero and Sanchez served a two-run single into no- man's land down the right-field line for a 4-2 lead.
Yet, that lead wasn't safe either.
The Phillies, with the aide of a Marlins miscue, put up a game-tying two-spot off Nunez in the ninth, but they ran themselves out of more. Polanco reached on a Ramirez throwing error and Ross Gload singled to center before Ibanez swatted a double off the high-wall in left, scoring the lead runner.
Jayson Werth drove home the tying run with a sharp grounder off Ramirez's glove and into center field, leaving runners on the corners with nobody out. However, Domonic Brown grounded sharply to third, and Ibanez was caught in a rundown. Werth was then picked off second and a pitchout helped thwart Brown's stolen base attempt to end the top of the ninth.
Oswalt, in his second start since the trade that brought him over from Houston, was much better than his debut, giving up two runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts over 6 1/3 frames.
The Phillies loaded the bases in the first, but Werth hit a shallow fly ball to center and Brown struck out swinging.
Florida filled the bases in the second but Oswalt struck out his opposing pitcher Chris Volstad to keep the slate clean. The Phillies right-hander then navigated his way through the third frame, as Morrison smoked a one-out double and moved to third on Sanchez's fly out to right. Dan Uggla then walked, but Oswalt struck out Cody Ross to end the frame.
The gates finally opened for the Phillies in the sixth as Ibanez punched a one-out single just past the first-base bag and Brown kept the inning going with a two-out base hit to center. Ruiz followed with a soaring two-bagger that carried past Ross in center, clearing off both runners for a 2-0 edge.
Werth finished with a pair of hits and an RBI...Stanton finished with two hits for the Marlins...Phillies starters gave up five earned runs in 19 1/3 innings over this three-game series...Volstad gave up two runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts over 5 2/3 frames...The Phillies have won 14 of the last 17 meetings in Miami.