Merrill Kelly knew that giving up two runs in his first inning of work since returning from a strained shoulder wasn’t cause for concern. The Diamondbacks veteran right-hander settled down, found a rhythm and did enough to earn a victory in his team’s 12-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday at Chase Field.
“Just because you score two in the first it doesn’t mean, by any means, that I’m going to be down or out,” Kelly said. “Especially with … what the offense is doing right now. I try to treat each inning as a completely new animal, new experience.
“I know they got two in the first, but if you start giving that inning any type of credit, especially that early in being my first game back, I think I’m putting myself behind the eight ball, too.”
Kelly’s return from nearly four months on the injured list was a highlight of another convincing win for the Diamondbacks.
The victory came despite the absence of three everyday players (Christian Walker, Gabby Moreno and Ketel Marte).
A fourth, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., left the game with hamstring tightness not long after he robbed Phillies star Bryce Harper of extra bases with a leaping catch against the fence in left field.
Those absences and the uncertainty of what Kelly would provide on the mound didn’t stop the Diamondbacks from another series win and continuing their winning ways. Arizona hammered the Phillies for the second straight day after an 11-1 win on Saturday.
Kelly (3-0) gave the Diamondbacks (66-53) five good innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and got through that rough opening inning in his first appearance since April 15.
“Great to have Merrill back. Went out there and attacked the zone,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “To me it looked like it was vintage Merrill. Mixing pitches, following a game plan and getting us back in the dugout to score some runs.”
Jake McCarthy, on the heels of a two-home run game Saturday, hit a three-run triple in the fifth inning and drove in four runs. Kevin Newman, playing second base with Marte sitting out to rest a left ankle contusion, had three hits, as did catcher Adrian Del Castillo, who in only three big-league games is 7 for 12 with five runs batted in.
Del Castillo set the Diamondbacks’ record for most hits by a player in his first three games to start a career.
“It seems like a different guy stepping up every night, one through nine,” Newman said. “We’re all just out there battling for each other. Collectively it just seems like we’re piggy-backing off each other, and we just want to keep it rolling.”
Corbin Carroll, who entered the game when Gurriel was subbed out, clubbed a two-run home run in the seventh, his 11th home run of the season.
The Diamondbacks took three of four games from Philadelphia (69-49), which fell into a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for best record in the National League.
“We show up every single day ready to compete the same way, and I think getting those wins (sweep of Cleveland and series win over Phillies) kind of shows us we are who we thought we were,” Newman said. “We can play with anybody.”
The Diamondbacks won their eighth consecutive series, a first since 2018, and are 41-21 since June 1.
“I just try to do my job,” Lovullo said when asked if a manager can get on a hot streak with so much going his team’s way lately. “I just know that there’s a process that I follow and it’s very similar every single day.
“But we have a good baseball team. No matter what the recipe is, no matter what the ingredients are that we’re cooking with, they’re all the right ingredients. They’re all good baseball players.”
Diamondbacks’ Gurriel leaves with hamstring tightness
The Diamondbacks announced that outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left Sunday’s game with left hamstring tightness. Manager Torey Lovullo said taking Gurriel out was a precautionary move and Gurriel is day to day with no imaging needed.
It’s unclear when Gurriel was injured, but he did go all out to make a catch while leaping into the left field fence in the third inning. The injury is yet another to an everyday player, with Christian Walker and Gabriel Moreno on the 10-day injured list and Ketel Marte not in the lineup on Sunday due to a left ankle contusion suffered Saturday night.
Marte continues to improve and the hope is he can be back in the lineup Monday when the Diamondbacks open a series against the Colorado Rockies at home.
Gurriel had two hits and scored twice. That was before the Diamondbacks jumped out to a 9-2 lead after six innings that became 12-5 heading to the bottom of the eighth.
‘Roll call’ for Diamondbacks players from fans
Late in Saturday night’s Diamondbacks-Phillies game, some folks in the energetic crowd of 46,183 decided to have some fun with the Diamondbacks players on the field, borrowing from another major league team’s fan tradition.
They began a chant of each position player’s name, except for the pitcher and catcher. It started with Corbin Carroll in right field, then moved to all of the outfield, back to Josh Bell at first base and around the diamond, ending with “Ge-no Sua-rez!” until each player acknowledged the cheers with a wave or a point in the fans’ direction.
It was the Chase Field version of a Yankee Stadium tradition, when the “bleacher creatures” in right field do their first-inning “roll call” of the players in pinstripes on the field as the game begins.
“It was cool,” first baseman Bell said. “I haven’t been a part of an atmosphere like that since the postseason in ’22 in San Diego.”
Bell said that hearing the roll call in Phoenix marked the first time his name had ever been chanted in such fashion.
Second baseman Kevin Newman heard his name, and Bell told him to turn around and wave to the fans.
“That was different. It was super cool,” Newman said. “I think it’s fun. It was a little different because we hadn’t done that here. The fans were engaged and obviously pumped up.”
Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo knew the crowd was highly engaged in the game from the singing of the national anthem.
“The cheering just continued nonstop,” he said.
Arizona Diamondbacks offer unique giveaway to honor National League title
A popular fan giveaway at Arizona Diamondbacks games this season is the replica National League championship ring, handed out Saturday at Chase Field.
Roster moves made to make way for Merrill Kelly
The Diamondbacks on Sunday made roster moves that cleared the way for right-hander Merrill Kelly to start against the Philadelphia Phillies, Kelly’s first appearance since April 15.
Kelly was reinstated from the 60-day injured list, his right shoulder was deemed healthy enough to return to the starting rotation. Right-handed reliever Scott McGough was optioned to Triple-A Reno following last night’s game, after just two days and one appearance with the Diamondbacks since he was called up Friday.
“It’s been a long runway (for Kelly),” Lovullo said. “It’s been a long process for him to get healthy, follow the protocols, and I just appreciate the way he stuck with it and came out the other side.”
Right-handed pitcher Humberto Castellanos was designated for assignment. He’s been in the Diamondbacks organization since 2021, and this season pitched in seven games for Arizona.
Diamondbacks vs Phillies: Jordan Montgomery discusses team loss
Jordan Montgomery did not allow a run through five innings and was an out away from escaping six full innings with just one run. The DBacks lost 6-4.
Monday’s Diamondbacks-Rockies pitching matchup
Rockies at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Monday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-6, 3.92) vs. Rockies RHP Cal Quantrill (7-8, 4.56).
At Chase Field: The Diamondbacks continue their homestand with a chance to keep building on their success the past month or so, with the NL West’s last-place team, Colorado, in town for a three-game series. It begins with Pfaadt, who has given up just 10 earned runs in his past five starts (30 1/3 innings). Pfaadt allowed two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings in his most recent start, Aug. 7 at Cleveland. He struck out six with one walk. Pfaadt is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in two career starts against the Rockies. Quantrill has been unable to pitch five innings in three of his past five starts. He allowed three earned runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in a loss at San Diego in his most recent start on Aug. 4. Quantrill is 1-3 with a 6.19 ERA in his career against the Diamondbacks, with six starts and seven appearances overall.
Coming up
Tuesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0, 4.76) vs. Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (3-8 4.92).
Wednesday: At Chase Field, 12:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Jordan Montgomery (7-6, 6.37) vs. RHP Tanner Gordon (0-3, 6.15).
Thursday: Off day.
What to know about the Colorado Rockies
Fresh off another odd trade deadline in which they opted to mostly stand pat rather than try to jumpstart a rebuild, the Rockies remain on pace for a second consecutive 100-loss season. They have the worst pitching staff and have scored the fifth-fewest runs in the National League. Not all is lost, however, as at least a few players have emerged as potential building blocks for the future. CF Brenton Doyle has paired his excellent defense in center field with a much-improved bat; he is hitting .265 with 20 homers. SS Ezequiel Tovar has 19 homers and has played a strong defensive shortstop in his second full season. 1B Michael Toglia has 19 homers in just 246 at-bats, and he has an .820 OPS since he began getting regular at-bats in early June. There are fewer success stories on the pitching side, although RHP Cal Quantrill has looked to be a sharp offseason pickup. He has a 4.56 ERA in 122 1/3 innings. RHP Victor Vodnik has taken over closer duties in recent weeks and has pitched fairly well, posting a 3.50 ERA with seven saves in seven chances across 18 innings since the start of July.
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Publish date : 2024-08-11 14:49:00
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