Herrmann and Lamb help D-Backs post win vs. Phillies

Chris Herrmann’s quick reflexes behind the plate and his bat came up big for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The catcher delivered the game’s key play, lunging to his right to grab a wide throw from third baseman Jake Lamb while dragging a foot onto home plate for a force out with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

Reliever Archie Bradley then struck out the next hitter, and the Diamondbacks cruised to a 9-2 win on Saturday night.

Herrmann also drove in three runs, Lamb homered and Daniel Descalso had three hits to lead Arizona.

“I don’t really know how to describe what was going through my head,” Herrmann said. “The athleticism just kind of takes over in our bodies and we just kind of react, and cool things happen.”

The Diamondbacks broke open a one-run game with three runs in the sixth inning and got another effective pitching performance from starter Robbie Ray (8-3), who allowed two runs and six hits through 6 1/3 innings.

Ray is 6-0 over his last seven starts with a 1.31 ERA in that span.

He had five strikeouts and four walks.

“He was effective with all of his pitches at all times. I know there were a few walks,” manager Torey Lovullo said of Ray. “Overall it was a really good outing.”

Phillies starter Ben Lively (1-2) hit a two-run home run for his first career RBIs, but gave up four earned runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

“I was pretty pumped up about that, and after that I kind of stayed a little bit too pumped up,” Lively said.

In the seventh, Aaron Altherr greeted Bradley with a smash to third base. Lamb fielded and threw up the first base side to home plate, but Herrmann got the force and prevented an error.

Bradley struck out Tommy Joseph to end the inning.

“If the ball gets by him, I think two runs score and we’re talking about a whole different situation,” Lovullo said.

The Diamondbacks scored their runs in the sixth on Lamb’s 17th homer of the season, Herrmann’s RBI single off reliever Hoby Milner and David Peralta being hit by a pitch from Milner, who was making his major league debut, with the bases loaded.