Field Level Media
Apr 26, 2018
Jarrod Dyson, Nick Ahmed and David Peralta homered behind right-hander Matt Koch and the Arizona Diamondbacks became the first National League team in 41 years to win their first eight series with an 8-2 victory over the host Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday afternoon.
The Diamondbacks (17-7) used those homers to take an 8-0 lead after three innings while equaling their best start in franchise history. The 1977 Dodgers are the last NL team to win their first eight series. Seattle won its first nine in 2001.
Odubel Herrera and Rhys Hoskins each had two hits and Aaron Altherr had a double and two RBIs for the Phillies (15-9), who with a victory would have been eight games over .500 for the first time since the last day of the 2011 season.
Herrera, who had two singles, extended his hitting streak to nine games and has reached base in a career-high 26 straight games dating to last year, the longest streak in the majors.
Paul Goldschmidt had three hits and Peralta and Dyson had two hits apiece as the Diamondbacks avoided their first two-game losing streak of the season.
Koch (1-0) gave up six hits and two runs in six innings while posting his second straight quality start since replacing Taijuan Walker in the rotation. Walker underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Wednesday in New York. Koch struck out four and walked two.
Dyson hit a two-run homer on Ben Lively's fourth pitch of the game for a 2-0 lead, and Chris Owings doubled in the final run of a three-run first inning. Dyson hit two homers in the series.
Ahmed homered after Daniel Descalso doubled and Alex Avila walked with one out in the third inning. Drew Hutchison relieved Lively after a walk to Koch before Peralta hit a two-run homer to cap the five-run inning for an 8-0 lead.
Lively (0-2) gave up seven hits, including two homers, and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out one. Phillies starters had given up three or fewer earned runs in 13 of their last 14 games.
Carlos Santana and Altherr each doubled for a Phillies run in the fourth inning, and Altherr's groundout drove in Herrera in the sixth.
--Field Level Media