Major League Baseball

Pierre passes DiMaggio, Marlins lose to Phillies

Published Sep. 18, 2013 6:09 a.m. ET

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Juan Pierre went by the Yankee Clipper.

Pierre passed Joe DiMaggio on the all-time hits list when he doubled in the seventh inning of the Miami Marlins' 6-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

For a team with the second-worst record in the majors, these are still moments worthy of celebration.

Pierre, pinch-hitting for pitcher Brian Flynn, hit a double to right for his 2,215th career hit, breaking the tie with the Hall of Famer for 175th place on the all-time list, according to STATS.

''I never set out to beat any of those guys,'' Pierre said. ''I know all about Joe DiMaggio and what he meant to the game. Just to be mentioned with him is pretty cool.''

Pierre, who played with the Phillies last season, was standing on second base when former teammate Jimmy Rollins had some fun with him.

''He pretended to throw the ball away, but he gave it to me,'' Pierre said.

Chase Utley hit a three-run homer and drove in four and Roy Halladay tossed six effective innings for the Phillies.

Halladay (4-4) allowed one run and four hits in his fifth start after returning from right shoulder surgery. The two-time Cy Young Award winner didn't top 88 mph and relied on guile to get outs.

The top three hitters in Philadelphia's lineup - Cesar Hernandez, Rollins and Utley - were 8 for 12 with four RBIs and six runs.

Jonathan Papelbon allowed an RBI single to Giancarlo Stanton before finishing for his 28th save in 35 chances.

''I liked the way we battled back,'' Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. ''We had the guys we wanted up there at the end. We gave ourselves a chance.''

Flynn (0-2) gave up six runs and 11 hits in six innings.

The going-nowhere Phillies improved to 18-13 since interim manager Ryne Sandberg replaced Charlie Manuel on Aug. 16. They have won seven straight over the last-place Marlins.

Utley hit an RBI single in the first and Carlos Ruiz followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.

Utley connected off Flynn in the fifth, driving one off the facing of the second deck in right field for his second three-run shot in two games. He has eight RBIs in the last two nights.

Halladay improved to 114-0 when he's given a four-run lead, the longest streak since Pedro Martinez retired at 114-0 in similar situations.

''He can still pitch,'' Redmond said. ''He may not be throwing 94, but he can pitch.''

The Marlins got two runs off B.J. Rosenberg in the eighth. Justin Ruggiano doubled one in and scored on Adeiny Hechavarria's single.

NOTES: Utley's homer was his 217th, tying him with Cy Williams for seventh on the club's all-time list. ... The Phillies are 11-4 vs. the Marlins this season. ... Kyle Kendrick was scratched from Wednesday's start because of right shoulder soreness. Zach Miner (0-1, 3.71) will take his place against Miami's Nathan Eovaldi (3-6, 3.80).

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