Diamondbacks get the first and final laugh on tough night for Phillies

PHOENIX — Fans were lined up outside in the Arizona heat hours before Saturday’s game to claim a replica ring that honored the Arizona Diamondbacks’ National League Championship Series win over the Philadelphia Phillies last year.

The Phillies will have to wait a little longer to get revenge for that, as they dropped their second straight to the Diamondbacks — this time, an 11-1 blowout — and allowed Arizona to even up the season series.

The Phillies trailed the entire game, but Arizona blew it open with a seven-run seventh inning. Relief pitcher Yunior Marte gave up six hits, including three home runs, and was removed after only securing two outs.

It didn’t help that the Phillies’ went cold when it mattered. They had opportunities to even the score before the game was out of reach — they stranded the bases loaded in the first — but failed to capitalize. The Phillies finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base.

The Diamondbacks hit Phillies starter Aaron Nola fairly hard. Across five innings, Nola allowed nine hits, two home runs, and issued three walks. Ketel Marte homered on a Nola knuckle curve to put Arizona on the board in the first.

They tacked on another the next inning, after Nola gave up a ground rule double to Geraldo Perdomo and walked Jose Herrera. Nola induced a ground ball to second base that would have been a textbook double play, but Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper dropped the throw to first, which allowed Perdomo to score.

Harper redeemed himself two innings later, saving a run with a big stretch at first to snag an errant throw. He also drove in the Phillies’ only run, cashing in Kyle Schwarber with an RBI groundout in the fifth inning.

Max Lazar made his major league debut with one out left in the seventh. Phillies manager Rob Thomson planned to get a low-leverage inning for the righty reliever, and a 10-run hole qualified. Lazar only needed two pitches to induce a flyout to Kevin Newman. He returned for the eighth and retired the side in order.

The Diamondbacks had some poor injury luck. Ketel Marte exited the game in the fourth inning with a left ankle contusion after his leg got caught beneath a diving Garrett Stubbs at second base. Starter Zac Gallen was hit in the foot by a 101.9 mph comebacker from Harper in the first inning but remained in the game until the fifth when he was removed after appearing to injure his groin.