HOUSTON — The Miami Marlins turned the first triple play in the Majors this season and only the second in franchise history, but the defensive gem was not enough to halt a skid that has now reached eight consecutive losses after a 5-3 defeat to the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.

“It’s not an effort thing,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “It’s not our guys’ preparation. We’re putting ourselves in some spots to win games. We’re also doing things within these games that are making it tougher on ourselves. … It will turn.”

Starter Tyler Phillips surrendered three runs — two earned — on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out two. Phillips allowed a Jeremy Peña leadoff home run in the first and a Lucas Spence RBI double in the second but retired eight of the final 10 batters he faced. He mixed 25 sinkers, 18 splitters, 14 sweepers and 10 curveballs, finding his best results with the curve — four whiffs on six swings and one strikeout.

“To me, I settled in nicely,” Phillips said. “I made pitches when I felt like I needed to. I like going deep into games. Don’t get me wrong, I will 110% respect the manager’s decision every single time. I understand where the game stands. To me, it’s a failure if I don’t get at least five or six. Even five feels weak.”

Phillips had not pitched on regular rest since his start against the Mariners on July 8, when he threw five scoreless innings for his only win in his past seven starts. His most recent outing came against the Guardians on July 12, when he allowed two runs in one inning on three days’ rest.

“I thought Tyler did well,” McCullough said. “Leadoff homer, and then to get himself out of the pickle there in the second, to leave the guys on base and hold the game where it was, give us a chance to claw back in. I thought Tyler did a nice job.”

Catcher Joe Mack provided the offensive highlight, launching a Statcast-projected 435-foot two-run homer to right-center in the seventh — his second straight game with a home run — to cut Houston’s lead to 5-3. “I’m feeling good,” Mack said. “I’m putting my ‘A’ swing on balls and good things are happening.”

The triple play came in the eighth inning when Jose Altuve grounded to Leo Jiménez, who stepped on third and threw to Xavier Edwards at second before Edwards completed the relay to Stowers at first. Stowers acknowledged the club is close but not there yet. “I think there’s room for improvement,” Stowers said. “I thought yesterday we did a great job battling. Today, Joe hits another homer to get us back in the game. That’s huge to get back into the game, and you’ve got the tying run at the plate in both games. I don’t think we’re far off, but there’s room for improvement for sure.”

Mack said the clubhouse is trying to stay even-keeled through the drought. “It stinks, but we’re all trying to keep our composure and trying to keep our good spirits up and giving each other energy,” Mack said. “We just try to bounce off each other and continue to keep it up.”

The Marlins remain in Houston to continue the series against the Astros.