Diamondbacks hit 3 HRs, power way to 5-4 series-opening win over Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Gabriel Moreno and Joc Pederson hit homers against struggling Phillies starter Taijuan Walker to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-4 win over Philadelphia on Friday night.
It was the first game between the teams since Arizona won the final two games of the National League Championship Series on the road last season en route to the club's second World Series appearance.
Jordan Montgomery (6-4) allowed only five hits and two earned runs over six innings. Montgomery — who signed late in spring training as a free agent — has won his last three starts, dropping his ERA from 6.80 to 5.71.
Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos homered for Philadelphia, which has dropped six of its last nine games.
Walker, the Phillies' fifth starter, has been the subject of speculation about being replaced in the starting rotation. He has now allowed 10 home runs in his 10 starts (52 1/3 innings. His ERA is 5.60 while the rest of the Phillies starting staff has a combined ERA of 2.67.
Walker was replaced by Spencer Turnbull, who threw three innings of scoreless relief.
Gurriel started the scoring in the second with a solo homer. Moreno followed with a two-run shot with one out in the third which was immediately followed by Pederson's solo shot that draw several boos from the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park.
Geraldo Perdomo added an insurance run in the eighth with an RBI single.
HAMELS RETIRES AS A PHIL
Cole Hamels — one of two men to win World Series MVP in the 141-year history of the Phillies — officially retired as a member of the club during a pregame ceremony on Friday.
Hamels, who pitched parts of nine seasons for Philadelphia from 2006-2015, was the MVP of both the 2008 National League Championship Series and the 2008 World Series when the Phillies beat Tampa Bay in five games. He also threw a no-hitter in his final start for the Phillies in 2015 at Chicago.
Hamels' career took him to Texas, Chicago and Atlanta before shoulder issues ended comeback attempts with both the Dodgers and Padres. He finished with a 163-122 record with a 3.43 ERA.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Moreno left Friday's game in the sixth inning with what the club said was a strained left thumb. RHP Zac Gallen (right hamstring strain) will throw a simulated game on Monday with the hopes of starting a rehabilitation assignment shortly after that. RHP Miguel Castro (right shoulder inflammation) will throw live batting practice on Monday in Arizona. OF Alek Thomas (strained left hamstring) is scheduled to play in the Arizona Complex League with the hope of beginning a rehab assignment right after that.
Phillies: IF/OF Kody Clemens (back spasms) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday night, playing first base. RHP Luis Ortiz (right forearm soreness) was recalled from a rehab assignment and will see a doctor for a second opinion after experiencing soreness on June 18.
UP NEXT
Philadelphia will send RHP Zack Wheeler (8-4, 2.84) to the mound on Saturday against Arizona LHP Tommy Henry (2-2, 6.23).
