Schwarber, Harper homer to lead Phillies over Diamondbacks 4-3 to stop 3-game skid

Audio By Carbonatix

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the third inning and Bryce Harper went deep two pitches later, boosting the Philadelphia Phillies over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Saturday to stop a three-game losing streak.

Arizona, which had won three straight, did not use catcher Gabriel Moreno, who left Friday’s game because of left lower back tightness and was sent for an MRI.

“He's got a lower back issue that's not a bone or the typical back situation. It’s more muscular in nature,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It's looking like a IL stint, for sure. ... We think it could be a very quick turnaround.”

Ketel Marte hit his 14th career leadoff home run and Adrian Del Castillo had an RBI single for a 2-0 lead in the first off Taijuan Walker (1-2). Batters are 10 for 19 (.526) in the first inning with nine runs off Walker in three starts.

Schwarber homered off a changeup from Brandon Pfaadt (0-1), his fourth home run this season, and Harper followed with a 419-foot drive on a fastball for his third homer.

Walker allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. Brad Keller gave up a two-out RBI single to Jose Fernandez in the eighth, then struck out Nolan Arenado to strand a runner on third.

Jhoan Duran pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save. The Phillies bullpen has allowed two earned runs in its last 26 1/3 innings.

Rookie Justin Crawford had two hits for the Phillies and is batting .350.

Pfaadt had pink shoelaces on his cleats as a gender reveal for the baby that his brother, Brett, and his wife, Hannah, are expecting. Brett and Brandon were teammates at Bellarmine University in 2020, with Brandon drafted in the fifth round by Arizona that year.

Arizona catcher Adrian Del Castillo had three hits.

Phillies RHP Andrew Painter (1-0) and Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (1-1) start Sunday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb