Walker, Diamondbacks Snap Phillies' 9-Game Winning Streak
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Christian Walker had three hits and three RBIs, Jake McCarthy homered and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Phillies 13-1 Sunday to end Philadelphia's nine-game winning streak and give interim manager Rob Thomson his first loss.
Ketel Marte and Alek Thomas each drove in two runs for Arizona, which finished a 10-game trip 4-6.
The Phillies lost for the first time since May 31, and Thomson was beaten for the first time since replacing Joe Girardi on June 3. Thomson's eight wins to start his managing tenure matched the most ever for a Phillies skipper and is second overall to Boston's Joe Morgan, who won 12 straight in 1988.
The Phillies and their club-record $240 million payroll remained at .500 and are squarely in playoff contention. They began play third in the NL East, eight games behind the Mets and 2 ½ out of the final NL wild-card spot.
Their play Sunday looked more like how they ended the Girardi era, though.
Phillies pitchers walked 11 Diamondbacks and hit another, and their batters struck out 13 times. It got so bad that backup catcher Garrett Stubbs pitched the ninth.
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with no outs after Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm couldn't get an out on Marte's routine grounder to third. Instead of tagging Jordan Luplow running right at him, Bohm tried to get a force at second and threw there too late.
Two batters later, catcher J.T. Realmuto dropped a throw from pitcher Ranger Suarez (4-4) on a forceout attempt at home. Realmuto had a chance to turn a 1-2-3, inning-ending double play, but Arizona instead scored two runs and added another on Daulton Varsho's RBI groundout. Realmuto had three hits.
Suarez, who needed 40 pitches to get through the first, left after 4 1/3 innings after allowing four runs — two earned — on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Arizona tacked on four more runs in the sixth to go up 8-1. Relievers Nick Nelson and Andrew Bellatti combined for four walks and a hit batter in the frame when the Diamondbacks scored four runs on two hits en route to the blowout.
Before that, Philadelphia had its best chance to get back in the game with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth. Noé Ramirez came on in relief of Luke Weaver (1-0) and struck out Nick Castellanos on three pitches before fanning Realmuto.
Philadelphia has only had 13 winning streaks of 10 games or more, the last from July 8-21, 2009. The Phillies ended that season with their second consecutive appearance in the World Series.
Weaver, making his first appearance since April 7, allowed one run on three hits in three innings with four strikeouts and two walks after opener Kyle Nelson pitched a scoreless first.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Weaver (right elbow inflammation) was activated from the 60-day IL.
Phillies: Closer Corey Knebel played catch before the contest after not entering Saturday's game due to right shoulder tightness. Knebel said before Sunday's game that the decision on Saturday was just precautionary, and Thomson said there wasn't structural damage.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: Return home for a three-game series against Cincinnati beginning on Monday when Arizona RHP Merrill Kelly (5-3, 3.32) faces Reds LHP Mike Minor (0-2, 8.64).
Phillies: Start three-game home set against Miami on Monday night, with Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (4-4, 3.50) opposing Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara (6-2, 1.61).
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