D-backs rally to earn seventh straight win

June 18th, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- The D-backs scored the game-tying run in the ninth, avoided being the victims of a walk-off blooper by a few inches in the bottom of the inning and got a game-winning homer from an unlikely candidate.
Things are going Arizona's way.
The D-backs beat the Phillies, 5-4, to complete a sweep on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Rey Fuentes, who entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch-runner, hit his first career home run in the 10th to lift the D-backs to their seventh straight win. had an RBI single in the ninth as Arizona tied the game against Phillies closer .

"We were resilient," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "We had a couple tough moments today and these guys didn't let that affect them."
Before the D-backs' comeback, it looked like Ty Kelly would again be the hero for the Phillies. Three days after Kelly's biggest contribution of the season -- a game-winning pinch-hit double off Chris Sale to beat the Red Sox -- the Phillies utilityman again converted a clutch at-bat, this time a double in the sixth inning, to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead.

The Phillies got the best of Arizona's Robbie Ray, who entered the game as hot as any pitcher in the game. Ray entered having allowed just one earned run in his last five starts (37 innings), but served up solo homers to in the first and in the second on his way to his worst start since May 14.
"That was a tough loss," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We hit the ball pretty well off one of the better pitchers in the league in Ray."

Ray allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks and was unable to preserve a three-run lead the D-backs provided him with in the first.
That quick lead came on the back of a towering two-run homer and Chris Owings' solo shot during a 33-pitch inning for .

The rookie right-hander settled in, however, and threw five scoreless innings after the first.
"Obviously, the numbers speak for themselves," Mackanin said of the Phillies' 11-37 stretch dating back to April 28. "The thing is, we've played a lot of these teams tough. We played these guys, they have a heck of a good team. We played the Red Sox tough for four games. We played the Cubs tough. We played a lot of good teams tough. The Dodgers. We just fall short. There's a little something missing and we just need to take it a step further."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Missed it by that much: With two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Tommy Joseph sent a soft line drive down the right-field line. It easily would have scored for a walk-off win, but it landed foul by about a foot. Joseph was eventually called out on strikes and Kendrick never got past second base.
Towering shot: Goldschmidt started the scoring with a soaring two-run homer in the first, his 16th of the season. The ball left Goldschmidt's bat with a 44-degree launch angle, making it the fourth-highest on a homer run by any Major League player this year. Goldschmidt already holds the highest launch angle on a homer in 2017, hitting one at a 47-degree angle off his bat on May 4.
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Kendrick's single in the third moved to third, before the outfielder eventually scored on the next at-bat. But for the 12-year veteran Kendrick, the base knock was No. 1,500 of his career.

PROUD PARENTS
Both Goldschmidt and Altherr homered Sunday on Father's Day, and also homered on May 14, Mother's Day. They are two of seven players in the Majors to hit home runs on both Mother's Day and Father's Day in 2017.
UNDER REVIEW
The Phillies had a run come off the board in the sixth inning after the D-backs won a challenge on a play at the plate. was ruled out at home as he tried to score from first on a double by Kelly. The relay beat Galvis, who was tagged out before his hand got to the back edge of the plate, replay showed. still scored on the play, which put the Phillies ahead, 4-3. The Phillies lost their challenge on the same play, simultaneously challenged that the D-backs catcher didn't give Galvis a clear path to the base.

WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: The D-backs will start a crucial three-game series against the Rockies in Denver on Tuesday night at 5:40 p.m. PT. Zack Greinke will be on the mound for Arizona. The D-backs have won seven of his last eight starts.
Phillies: After a day off on Monday, the Phillies will host St. Louis for their second three-game series against the Cardinals in the last two weeks. (5-5, 4.91 ERA) will pitch for Philadelphia opposing St. Louis' Mike Leake (5-6, 3.14 ERA) in the 7:05 p.m. ET start at Citizens Bank Park.
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