Effective changeup becoming Hellickson’s out pitch

PHILADELPHIA — Had Maikel Franco not lost a foul pop in the gray Philadelphia skies, Jeremy Hellickson may have escaped the first inning unscathed.

But the ball fell to the ground, mere feet away from the Phillies’ third baseman, and the Marlins proceeded to get Hellickson for two runs the remainder of the inning. But that would be all Hellickson and the Phils’ bullpen would surrender for the next eight frames in a 4-2 win on Wednesday afternoon.

“[Hellickson] pitched outstanding the rest of the way,” manager Pete Mackanin said. “He really mixed his pitches well and gave us a quality start.”

The 29-year-old right-hander, the elder statesman in Philadelphia’s young rotation, allowed only three more Marlins to reach base in the final five innings he pitched. Mackanin lifted Hellickson for a pinch-hitter in the sixth, but when he was pulled, Hellickson had retired 15 of the last 16 batters he faced. Two singles were erased on ensuing double plays.

“I just took a …

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