PHOENIX -- All it took was one pitch after Andrew Painter departed the game for the Diamondbacks’ offense to get going.
James McCann's homer was the difference Wednesday afternoon as Arizona managed to beat the Phillies, 1-0, at Chase Field. The win, combined with the Padres' loss to the Reds, put the D-backs a half-game ahead of San Diego for the third National League Wild Card spot.
Painter frustrated Arizona hitters for seven innings, allowing just a pair of hits. The Phillies, though, could not take advantage as the Diamondbacks used Taylor Clarke as an opener and six relievers followed to hold Philadelphia scoreless.
Jonathan Bowlan relieved Painter after he threw 93 pitches, and the first pitch the right-hander threw was a hanging breaking ball that McCann hit into the seats in left field.
McCann had struck out in both of his previous at-bats against Painter. The win snapped Arizona's three-game losing streak.
Here's some other takeaways from Wednesday’s game:
1. The pitching plan worked
With several starters on the injured list, the Diamondbacks deployed a bullpen game rather than use Jose Cabrera as a traditional starter.
"We sold out to a plan," manager Torey Lovullo said. "We followed that plan from a pitching standpoint, we knew how many innings we had left. We weren't totally desperate, but every matchup that we wanted went the way we wanted. [The relievers] were unbelievable."
A potential hiccup came in the sixth inning when the Phillies had a runner on first with one out and Trea Turner at the plate.
Lovullo wanted left-hander Brandyn Garcia to face the left-handed hitting Bryce Harper, who was on deck. Garcia, who has pitched a lot recently since becoming the team's de facto closer, was only available for one inning. That meant if Lovullo used him for Harper, he wouldn't have him for the seventh.
Turner, though, played right into Arizona's hands by grounding into an inning-ending double play. Garcia was able to face left-handed hitters Harper, Luis Arraez, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh in a scoreless seventh.
2. Corbin Carroll in the lineup despite lower back discomfort
Carroll has been battling lower back issues. A couple of nights ago, he stood up in the dugout and felt a back spasm.
Even though it looks like it still bothers him at times, Carroll said he intends to keep playing.
"I didn't push to be in the lineup, they put me in the lineup, honestly," Carroll said. "I just said I'm not gonna take myself out. If you guys think that I need to come out, I'll come out. But I'm good to go. That's the way I left it."
Carroll had just one hit in the three-game set against the Phillies, and he's not sure if his performance is related to the back issue or not.
"I don't know. It doesn't really hurt, but I may be compensating a little bit," Carroll said.
Lovullo said he couldn’t wait until the end of the season when he's able to share just how much Carroll has endured this year.
"Corbin is unreal," Lovullo said. "He's unreal with his pain tolerance. He wants to be out there."
3. The offense must get going
The Diamondbacks managed to avoid a sweep against the Phillies despite going 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position and plating just three runs in 27 innings.
"When you score three runs in three games and you win one of them, you have to be satisfied with the win," Lovullo said. "But we got to be better offensively, and these boys are going to grind it out and get it done."
McCann knew Painter had gotten him out on breaking pitches in his previous two at-bats, but wasn't necessarily sitting on a breaking ball in the eighth. He knew that Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto is an excellent game-caller, so he was prepared for anything they might throw his way.
"It was definitely one of those games where really either way -- they come up with a big hit and the momentum shifts in their favor, we come up with a big hit and [it shifts in] our favor," McCann said. "That's a good quality team over there. It was a great series."