MIAMI (AP) — Bryce Harper homered, Brandon Marsh doubled twice and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 4-2 on Saturday.
Jesús Luzardo struck out eight over six innings of two-run ball for the NL East-leading Phillies. Luzardo (13-6) allowed five hits and walked four.
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Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. Realmuto reacts after striking out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami MarlinsSaturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Edmundo Sosa tags Miami Marlins' Agustín Ramírez (50) as he tries to steal the base during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper (3) hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Phillies star slugger Kyle Schwarber went 0-for-3 and was hit twice. Schwarber remains at 49 homers since he went deep four times against Atlanta on Aug. 28. He hit a drive to the warning track in the ninth that was caught by centerfielder Jakob Marsee.
After winning three of four at the New York Mets Aug. 28-31, the Marlins have lost five straight.
Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto threw out Agustín Ramírez and Maximo Acosta on unsuccessful stolen base attempts in the first and seventh.
Harper gave the Phillies a quick lead with a two-run homer in the first. He drove a fastball from Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara over the wall in center for his 24th home run.
Philadelphia padded the lead in the fourth on Harrison Bader’s run-scoring single and Bryson Stott’s sacrifice fly.
Miami narrowed the deficit in the bottom half, when Eric Wagaman doubled and Javier Sanoja added an RBI infield single.
David Robertson and Matt Strahm followed Luzardo with scoreless innings each before Jhoan Duran closed for his 27th save.
Alcantara (8-12) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out four.
After he issued walks to Wagaman and Sanoja, Luzardo ended his outing by retiring Troy Johnston on a flyout for the third out in the sixth.
Harper has 33 RBIs over his last 50 games.
RHP Taijuan Walker (4-7, 3.92 ERA) will start the series finale for the Phillies on Sunday while the Marlins have not announced a starter.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. Realmuto reacts after striking out during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami MarlinsSaturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Edmundo Sosa tags Miami Marlins' Agustín Ramírez (50) as he tries to steal the base during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper (3) hits a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday asked lawmakers to approve reforms to the oil industry that would open the doors to greater foreign investment during her first state of the union speech less than two weeks after its longtime leader was toppled by the United States.
Rodríguez, who has been under pressure by the Trump administration to fall in line with its vision for the oil-rich nation, said sales of Venezuelan oil would go to bolster crisis-stricken health services, economic development and other infrastructure projects.
She outlined a distinct vision for the future, straying from her predecessors, who have long railed against American intervention in Venezeula. “Let us not be afraid of diplomacy” with the U.S., said Rodriguez, the former vice president who must now navigate competing pressures from the Trump administration and a government loyal to former President Nicolás Maduro.
The speech, which was broadcast on a delay in Venezuela, came one day after Rodríguez said her government would continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro in what she described as “a new political moment” since his ouster.
On Thursday, Trump met at the White House with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, whose political party is widely considered to have won 2024 elections rejected by Maduro. But in endorsing Rodríguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president since 2018, Trump has sidelined Machado.
Rodríguez, who had a call with Trump earlier this week, said Wednesday evening on state television that her government would use “every dollar” earned from oil sales to overhaul the nation’s public health care system. Hospitals and other health care facilities across the country have long been crumbling, and patients are asked to provide practically all supplies needed for their care, from syringes to surgical screws.
The acting president must walk a tightrope, balancing pressures from both Washington and top Venezuelan officials who hold sway over Venezuela's security forces and strongly oppose the U.S. Her recent public speeches reflect those tensions — vacillating from conciliatory calls for cooperation with the U.S., to defiant rants echoing the anti-imperialist rhetoric of her toppled predecessor.
American authorities have long railed against a government they describe as a “dictatorship,” while Venezuela’s government has built a powerful populist ethos sharply opposed to U.S. meddling in its affairs.
For the foreseeable future, Rodríguez's government has been effectively relieved of having to hold elections. That's because when Venezuela’s high court granted Rodríguez presidential powers on an acting basis, it cited a provision of the constitution that allows the vice president to take over for a renewable period of 90 days.
Trump enlisted Rodríguez to help secure U.S. control over Venezuela’s oil sales despite sanctioning her for human rights violations during his first term. To ensure she does his bidding, Trump threatened Rodríguez earlier this month with a “situation probably worse than Maduro.”
Maduro, who is being held in a Brooklyn jail, has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges.
Before Rodríguez’s speech on Thursday, a group of government supporters was allowed into the presidential palace, where they chanted for Maduro, who the government insists remains the country’s president. “Maduro, resist, the people are rising,” they shouted.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez makes a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez, center, smiles flanked by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, right, and National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez after making a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
