Phillies top D-backs in slugfest

With a chance to start a long 9-game road trip above .500 for the first time since April 22nd, the D-backs pitching never figured it out in this one. Chase Anderson pitched beautifully in his first appearance, all but making us forget about Zack Godley, but threw a stinker in this one as the Phillies could do no wrong at the plate.

The offense however kept up its recent uptick in performance, getting 2 quick runs in the 1st inning to give Chase a 2-0. Ender Inciarte led things off with a single to left, A.J Pollock followed suit with one of his own and Paul Goldschmidt continued to shake off the slump with an RBI single to right field to score Inciarte. Jake Lamb grounded out short, and with Goldy avoiding the double play by advancing on a passed ball, scored Pollock from 3rd to give the D-backs a quick and easy 2-0 lead right from the get-go.

It was downhill from there for Chase Anderson, as he would allow a single run in 3 consecutive innings, all in varying ways. In the 2nd inning, a leadoff single followed by a double gave the Phillies runners on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs. Chase got a much needed strikeout for 1 out but allowed a deep sac fly ball to center to score the Phillies first run. In the 3rd, Anderson fell victim to the long ball, allowing a Andres Blanco homer to even things at 2 a piece. The 4th inning started like the 2nd, with a double and single to put runners on 1st and 3rd with 0 outs. A double play allowed the Phillies 3rd run to score but would erase a potential big inning.

Chase would settle down in the 5th, retiring the Phillies in order to give the top of the order a chance to reclaim the lead and they wouldn't let the opportunity pass them by. Inciarte again led things off with a single and Pollock moved Inciarte to 2nd with a ground out. Goldschmidt hit a ball down the right field line that just stayed fair and rolled all the way to the wall after Jeff Francoeur misplayed it for a triple to tie things up at 3-3. Lamb would single to left to make get the lead back at 4-3.

As quick as they took the lead back, they'd give it right back. Anderson would allow a double to Ryan Howard and a single to Francoeur before giving way to the newest member of the bullpen, Keith Hessler. He got the first out easy enough, but Freddy Galvis singled, scoring Howard and Cameron Rupp homered to blow the game open for the Phillies 7-4.

The D-backs responded in the 7th, manufacturing a run after a Goldschmidt double and would threaten to retake the lead in the 8th. Romak singled, moved to 2nd after a ground out and scored after a double from the suddenly hot Chris Owings. Inciarte singled deep into the hole at 1st, beating the pitcher to the bag for a single and took 2nd on a wild pitch. But that would do it for the offense today, as Pollock ground out and Owings came home and was called out on a very close play at the plate. Goldy would then strike out on a filthy slider from Phillies closer Ken Giles to end the inning.

The 9th was quiet for both sides until a David Peralta single with 2 outs, but Romak struck out on a 98 mph fastball up in the zone to finish things off for the Phillies 7-6. The team showed great fight, coming back and threatening multiple times, but couldn't get the clutch hit when it mattered. Oh well, such is life in the MLB.

Source: FanGraphs

The Natural - Paul Goldschmidt (+25.2%), Chris Owings (+21.7)

The Abnormal - Keith Hessler (-36.8%), Chase Anderson (-22.6%)

Ah love the wednesday turnouts. Thanks for coming out everyone. No comment of the thread because we can do better than making fun of Mark Trumbo. ;)

No game tomorrow for the Diamondbacks but they are headed to Atlanta for their first stop on a 9-game road trip. Come on by tomorrow for some cool articles and stuff.