Game 4 - Viva Velasquez

Earlier this spring, Vince Velasquez didn't know where he'd be pitching. It could have been in the starting rotation, it could have been in the bullpen, or it could have been in Triple A. But manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Bryan Price saw enough from Velasquez this spring to leave him in the rotation.

They were rewarded Sunday when Velasquez and a quartet of relievers shut out the Marlins, 2-0, giving the Phillies a split in their opening series of the season.

Didi Gregorius knocked in the first run with two outs in the first inning, in a highlight-reel at-bat where he fouled off 17 straight pitches. He slapped the 18th pitch into left for a single that drove in Jean Segura, who led off the inning with an infield single. Neil Walker added an RBI double in the 9th.

Velasquez walked three, struck out three, and allowed five hits. The bullpen allowed just one hit, and Hector Neris pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save of the season. "VV was pretty good today," Girardi said. "Did you know when you put two Vs together it looks like a W? Well, we got a W from VV."

Struggling catcher JT Realmuto got the day off, and Rhys Hoskins had two singles and a double.

The Mets beat the Nationals, 1-0, and the Braves fell to the Diamondbacks, leaving the Phils, Marlins, and Braves tied for second, 1/2 game behind the Nationals.