Diaz goes yard to help Cardinals snap losing skid

CARDINALS 3, PHILLIES 2

ST. LOUIS — Aledmys Diaz hit a solo home run and Michael Wacha pitched six strong innings as the St. Louis Cardinals snapped a seven-game losing streak in a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

Earlier Friday, the Cardinals, who had lost 17 of their last 22 games, reassigned some members of the coaching staff and released veteran infielder Jhonny Peralta.

Philadelphia lost its third straight game.

Seung Hwan Oh pitched the ninth, earning his 14th save in 16 chances. He gave up a leadoff double to Odubel Herrera, who went to third on a ground out. But Oh got a strikeout and left fielder Tommy Pham made a diving catch on a line drive by Freddy Galvis to pick up the save.

The bullpen had surrendered 11 runs in the previous 81/3 innings. Against the Phillies, the bullpen had three scoreless innings.

Wacha (3-3) went six innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter. He allowed five hits and two runs. It was the first quality start in any of the past seven games for a St. Louis starter. Wacha had not able to finish five innings in each of his last three starts.

Jeremy Hellickson (5-4) took the loss. He pitched six innings, allowing 10 hits but just three runs. It was the 14th start of six innings or longer this season for the Phillies.

Diaz gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead when he hit a two-out homer in the fifth inning. It was his first home run since May 1.

The Phillies scored two in the second with two outs. Howie Kendrick doubled and scored on a single by Tommy Joseph. Aaron Altherr then tripled off the wall in right.

The Cardinals answered with two runs in the third to tie. Matt

Carpenter singled and went to third on Dexter Fowler's double. A sacrifice by Stephen Piscotty scored Carpenter and Jed Gyorko's single drove in Fowler. St. Louis loaded the bases but Hellickson struck out Eric Fryer.