Final: Phillies 6, Diamondbacks 0
WP: Sean O'Sullivan (1-2, 3.68 ERA) LP: Josh Collmenter (3-5, 5.36 ERA) Attendance: 22,123
Philadelphia, PA – For the first time this season, the Philadelphia Phillies (16-23) have swept their opponent. Phillies' starting pitcher Sean O'Sullivan earned his first win since May 12, 2011, 19 appearances later. Additionally, third baseman Maikel Franco hit his first career triple and home run this afternoon, in his 19th career big league game.
Scoring in today's series finale matinee got underway in the bottom of the second inning. Shortstop Cesar Hernandez led off the frame with his third double of the season. The next batter, center fielder Odubel Herrera, hit a sacrifice bunt in which Hernandez was able to advance from first, all the way to third base. On the first pitch of the following at-bat, catcher Cameron Rupp hit a sacrifice fly-RBI, his first RBI of the 2015 campaign, to put the Phillies on top 1-0.
An insurance run was added by the Phillies in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase their lead to two runs. Filling in for Ryan Howard, first baseman Darin Ruf began the inning by hitting a solo-shot to left center field. Ruf, 28, now has three home runs this season, which matches his totals from 2012 and 2014. In 2013, he hit a career-high 14 home runs.
Two innings later, the Phillies helped their cause once again. With two outs and a runner on first base, Maikel Franco hit a RBI-triple off of the center field wall that angles back to the ivy wall and Ashburn Alley. This was Franco's first career triple bagger, which happened to occur in his 70th overall plate appearance. The team's scoring threat was not over just yet. Hernandez doubled for the second time in the afternoon to score Franco from third and increase the Phillies' lead to 4-0.
O'Sullivan exited the game after six shutout innings. The last time O'Sullivan went at least six innings without allowing a run was nearly five years ago, on October 3, 2010 as a member of the Kansas City Royals.
Arizona starter Josh Collmenter was charged with four runs over six innings on the mound. He has allowed 18 earned runs combined over his past three starts.
Franco had another career-first in the bottom of the eighth, a home run, which extended the team's lead to 5-0. Prior to joining the Phillies on Friday, he had four home runs over 33 games this season with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Later in the inning, left fielder Ben Revere singled-home the Phillies' sixth and final scored run of the afternoon.
Phillies' relief pitchers Luis Garcia, Ken Giles and Jeanmar Gomez threw shutout innings in relief of O'Sullivan in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings respectively. They allowed just three combined hits, and walked one batter.
Even though today's game was completely dominated by both the Phillies' offense and pitching staff, it nearly took an entirely different course in the top of the third inning that would have tied the game at one. With two outs and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on second base and left fielder Ender Inciarte on third, Arizona center fielder A.J. Pollock hit a chopper to Hernandez at short. The throw went to first base, and Pollock was originally ruled safe by first base umpire Sean Barber. Inciarte was subsequently able to score on the play for Arizona's first run. However, manager Ryne Sandberg requested a challenge, and the ruling on the field was soon thereafter overturned to thus end the inning without the Diamondbacks scoring.
The Phillies have now won five consecutive games. They will embark on a ten-game road trip, starting with a four-game set at Colorado against the Rockies. Former Phillie and current Rockie, Kyle Kendrick, will not face the organization that drafted him, as he started this afternoon against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Starting Pitchers
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Collmenter | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5.36 |
| Sean O'Sullivan | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3.68 |
- Collmenter: L; 78 pitches, 45 strikes; 6 groundouts, 5 flyouts; 25 faced batters
- O'Sullivan: W; 79 pitches, 52 strikes; 5 groundouts, 7 flyouts; 24 faced batters
Out of the 'Pen
Diamondbacks
- Randall Delgado (7th, 8th): 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, 3.44 ERA
- J.C. Ramirez* (8th): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 2.25 ERA
Phillies
- Luis Garcia (7th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.32 ERA
- Ken Giles (8th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 2.08 ERA
- Jeanmar Gomez (9th): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 3.45 ERA
* Ramirez was acquired by the Phillies on December 16, 2009 in the trade involving Cliff Lee being sent to the Seattle Mariners. He had a 7.50 ERA in 18 games, 24.o innings for the 2013 Phillies, and was released that offseason.
At the Plate:
Diamondbacks
- Mark Trumbo: 1-3, BB, .282 AVG
- Paul Goldschmidt: 0-3, BB, SO, .333 AVG
- Yasmany Tomas: 2-4, .309 AVG
- Aaron Hill: 2-4, 2B, .291 AVG
Phillies
- Ben Revere: 3-4, RBI, BB, .255 AVG
- Darin Ruf: 2-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, .208 AVG
- Maikel Franco: 2-4, 2 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, .250 AVG
- Cesar Hernandez: 2-4, R, 2 2B, RBI, .270 AVG
What's Next
Monday, May 18, 2015: at Colorado Rockies, 8:40 pm
- LHP Cole Hamels (3-3, 3.53 ERA) vs. RHP Jordan Lyles (2-3, 4.30 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, SBP 1480 (Sp.)
Tuesday, May 19, 2015: at Colorado Rockies, 8:40 pm
- RHP Aaron Harang (4-3, 2.03 ERA) vs. RHP Chad Bettis (0-0, 7.20 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, SBP 1480 (Sp.)
Wednesday, May 20, 2015: at Colorado Rockies, 8:40 pm
- TBA vs. RHP Eddie Butler (2-4, 4.24 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, SBP 1480 (Sp.)
Chad Billingsley was originally scheduled to start for the Phillies on Wednesday, May 20, however he was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday evening with a right shoulder strain.
Thursday, May 21, 2015: at Colorado Rockies, 3:10 pm
- RHP Jerome Williams (3-3, 5.02 ERA) vs. Jorge De La Rosa (1-2, 6.56 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: 94 WIP, 1210 WPHT, SBP 1480 (Sp.)
Matt Rappa (@mattrappa) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
