MIAMI -- In their 101-win season of 2011, the Philadelphia Phillies had a starting rotation full of stars, including Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt.

All four of those pitchers are now gone, the Phillies haven't had a winning season since that 2011 team, and a rebuilding process is underway.

But despite recent struggles, the Phillies are seeing positive signs from their young pitchers, including rookie right-hander Aaron Nola, who pitched eight scoreless innings on Sunday in a 2-0 win over the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park.

The eight innings represent a career high for Nola, who has made seven big-league appearances.

"That was fun, man," said Nola, 22, the team's 2014 first-round pick out of LSU. "We have a long way to go, but it's been fun to hang around these guys -- the younger guys and the older guys."

Nola (4-1) allowed three hits and two walks and struck out six. He did not allow a runner past second base and struck out the last batter he faced, pinch hitter Casey McGehee, who swung and missed at a 75-mph changeup.

Nola won a battle between rookie starting pitchers as Marlins left-hander Adam Conley (1-1) took the loss.

"Their guy (Conley) pitched well, too -- he was impressive," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "But Nolan's our guy, and I like him better."

Conley allowed three hits, four walks and one run in six innings.

"It's frustrating to waste good starting pitching for the second straight day," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said, referring to Conley and also Justin Nicolino on Saturday. "We just couldn't figure out Nola."

The Phillies won three out of four games in the weekend series, tying the Marlins for last place in the National League East. Both teams have 50-74 records, and both teams have three rookies in their starting rotations.

Left-hander Adam Morgan, who tries for his fifth win on Monday against the first-place New York Mets, and right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who beat the Marlins 7-1 with six scoreless innings on Friday in his major league debut, are the Phillies' other rookie starting pitchers.

Between Nola and Eickhoff, Phillies' rookie starting pitchers combined to throw 14 scoreless innings in this series.

"When you have pitchers who throw strikes, you have a chance," Mackanin said. "Eickhoff is a strike-thrower. That's what we need, and we have a couple of good ones (rookies). I like Morgan, too."

Sunday's game continued a recent trend. The Phillies started the year 29-62, the most losses prior to the All-Star break in franchise history. Since the break, however, they are 20-12, the fourth-best record in the majors during that span.

Philadelphia opened the scoring in the third inning. Shortstop Cesar Hernandez drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a double by third baseman Andres Blanco and scored on left fielder Aaron Altherr's sacrifice fly.

The Phillies loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but could not score. Conley struck out Nola and Hernandez, both swinging, to end the threat.

"I was fighting myself all days," Conley said, "knowing that I didn't have my best stuff."

Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon hit a one-out single in the sixth and tried to get something started. But the Phillies guessed right, calling for a pitch out. Gordon was caught trying to steal second on a strong throw by catcher Cameron Rupp.

Leading off the seventh, Rupp made an even bigger play, hitting an opposite-field home run just inside the foul pole in right. It was his fifth homer of the season, and it gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead.

Rupp's past four homers have all happened when Nola has been pitching.

Marlins reliever Chris Narveson, a left-hander, gave up Rupp's shot.

The Phillies, who are 40-0 this season when leading after eight innings, got a clean ninth from Ken Giles. The right-hander is 10-for-10 in save situations since inheriting the closer's job following last month's Jonathan Papelbon trade.

Next up for the Phillies is the challenge of playing the Mets and staff ace Jacob deGrom.

"I like deGrom," Mackanin said before jokingly adding: "I'd like to have him."

NOTES: Miami's Dee Gordon, who entered Sunday leading the majors with a .336 batting average, is trying to become the first second baseman to win a batting title since Jackie Robinson in 1949. He finished the day hitting .335. ... Three Marlins have had their hitting streaks stopped this year at 13 games -- Gordon on May 10, CF Marcell Ozuna on June 12 and SS Adeiny Hechavarria on Friday. ... Phillies 3B Maikel Franco (fractured left wrist) will have the splint removed in two weeks and could return before this season ends. ... Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (biceps strain) is throwing long toss and hopes to return next month. ... Marlins LF Christian Yelich (bruised right knee) still can't run full speed. In his absence, two Miami left fielders combined to make three errors in three innings on Friday. Yelich, who won a Gold Glove in 2014, has three errors in three years.