PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Gabriel Moreno and Joc Pederson hit home runs against struggling Phillies starter Taijuan Walker to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-4 victory 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 last season en route to the club’s second appearance in the World Series.
Jordan Montgomery (6-4) allowed just five hits and two earned runs over six innings. Montgomery – who signed as a free agent late in spring training – 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 lost six of its last nine games.
Walker, the Phillies’ fifth starter, has been the subject of speculation about his replacement 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 starters have a combined ERA of 2.67.
Walker was replaced by Spencer Turnbull, who pitched three innings of scoreless relief.
Gurriel started the scoring in the second with a solo home run. Moreno followed with a two-run shot with one out in the third, which was immediately followed by Pederson’s solo shot that drew several boos from the sold-out crowd at Citizens Bank Park.
Geraldo Perdomo added an insurance run in the eighth with an RBI single.
HAMELS RETIREMENT AS PHIL
Cole Hamels – one of two men to win World Series MVP in the Phillies’ 141-year history – officially retired from the club during a pregame ceremony on Friday.
Hamels, who pitched for parts of nine seasons for Philadelphia from 2006 to 2015, was the MVP of both the 2008 National League Championship Series and the 2008 World Series when the Phillies defeated Tampa Bay in five games. He also threw a no-hitter in his last start for the Phillies in 2015 in Chicago.
Hamels’ career took him to Texas, Chicago and Atlanta before shoulder problems ended comeback attempts with both the Dodgers and Padres. He finished with a record of 163-122 with an ERA of 3.43.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Moreno left Friday’s game in the sixth inning with what the club said was a sprained left thumb. RHP Zac Gallen (right hamstring strain) will throw a simulated game on Monday in hopes of beginning a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. RHP Miguel Castro (right shoulder inflammation) will conduct live batting practice in Arizona on Monday. OF Alek Thomas (strained left hamstring) is scheduled to play in the Arizona Complex League with hopes of beginning a rehab assignment immediately afterward.
Phillies: IF/OF Kody Clemens (back spasms) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday evening with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he played first base. RHP Luis Ortiz (right forearm pain) was recalled from a rehab assignment and will see a physician for a second opinion after experiencing pain on June 18.
NEXT ONE
Philadelphia sends RHP Zack Wheeler (8-4, 2.84) to the mound on Saturday against Arizona LHP Tommy Henry (2-2, 6.23).
