D-backs Lose Game, Series To Phillies On Howard's Winning Hit

Chris Johnson hit his third home run in six games as an Arizona Diamondback, but the Diamondbacks lost an early 3-0 lead and two players to injury in a frustrating 5-4 loss to the downtrodden Philadelphia Phillies Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

Johnson homered but grounded into two double plays. Backup catcher Henry Blanco was lost to an apparent thumb injury, replaced by Miguel Montero in the eighth inning, and after the same play involving Blanco, D-backs pitcher David Hernandez and Phillies batter Domonic Brown, Hernandez had to leave the game with a leg injury when he was struck by Brown's hit up the middle.

Blanco, manager Kirk Gibson said on Fox Sports Arizona after the game, might have a torn ligament. If that's the case, the disabled list could be in his future.

Takashi Saito replaced Hernandez and finished the inning, but Josh Collmenter ran into trouble in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies loaded the bases on a Juan Pierre single, a sacrifice, a base hit by pinch-hitter Laynce Nix that outfielder Justin Upton had in his glove for a sliding catch before it popped out and an intentional walk to Chase Utley.

Ryan Howard roped a 2-1 pitch to right field for the game-winning walk-off single to drive in Pierre.

The Diamondbacks (55-53) led 4-3 with their best setup man, Hernandez, on the mound. Hernandez got the first two batters out, then John Mayberry singled and took second on a wild pitch with Brown at the plate. Brown hit the ball sharply off Hernandez, who gathered himself and fielded the ball but couldn't make a good throw to first base to get Brown. Mayberry scored on the play to tie it at 4.

Johnson and Stephen Drew hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning off Cliff Lee, who lasted eight innings but didn't figure in the decision. It was Drew's first of the season.

Paul Goldschmidt hit his 16th home run of the season in the sixth inning, giving Arizona a 4-3 lead.

Halladay, Phillies End Diamondbacks Winning Streak With 3-0 Shutout

Roy Halladay pitched seven shutout innings and Erik Kratz homered in the third inning off of Joe Saunders, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The win snapped a four-game winning streak by Arizona.

Halladay, who has struggled through injury and effective this season, looked like the pitcher fans have been accustomed to seeing for many years. He allowed only three hits in seven innings and struck out five.

Joe Saunders looked like, at least to start, that he was going to match Halladay pitch for pitch. That was until Eric Kratz hit his fourth homer of the season. The in the fourth inning, Saunders got himself into trouble. With two outs, Ryan Howard singled and John Mayberry doubled. Saunders then walked Domonic Brown and Kratz to force in a run.

That would be all that Saunders would allow. He went six and one-third innings allowing just the two runs, six hits, two walks and struck out three.

Philly would pick up another insurance run in the eighth inning. With Mike Zagurski in the game, Kevin Frandsen singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Ryan Howard singled with one out, but Frandsen had to hold at third. That is when Matt Albers made his Arizona debut. He struck out John Mayberry, but he gave up a single to Domonic Brown to score Frandsen.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth, allowing a hit, but closed the game out for his 24th save of the season.

The two teams will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday morning.

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Ian Kennedy, Justin Upton Propel D-backs Past Phillies

The Arizona Diamondbacks continued to play well on Friday night against a depleted Phillies team, winning by a score of 4-2. Ian Kennedy did not have his best night on the mound, but he managed to work six innings of two-run ball. With both the Giants and Dodgers winning on Friday, the D-backs kept pace in the NL West and remain two games back.

Kennedy scattered seven hits and two walks during his six innings, striking out just one batter in the process. Kyle Kendrick started for Philadelphia and was not sharp, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits over four innings. He was forced to make the spot-starter after the original projected starter, Joe Blanton, was dealt to the Dodgers earlier in the day.

Justin Upton hit a solo homer in the second inning to give Arizona a 1-0 lead. It was the 100th blast of his career. Paul Goldschmidt plated a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Chris Johnson followed with an RBI-single to bring home Upton to make the score 3-0.

The Phillies got on the board with a solo homer from Chase Utley in the bottom of the fourth. Nate Schierholtz drove home another run with a sac fly to make it 3-2 in the fifth.

The D-backs bullpen would hold strong in the later innings, allowing just one walk and no hits. Jason Kubel added an insurance run with a solo homer in the ninth to make it 4-2. It was his 23rd long ball of the season.

J.J. Putz entered the bottom half of the frame and worked a perfect 1-2-3 inning, striking out Laynce Nix to seal a win.

The two clubs will meet again at 7:05 EST / 4:05 PST on Saturday evening.

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