D-backs get first win on Marte’s walk-off
PHOENIX — Philadelphia's hot bats went down in a wave of whiffs.
Overpowering at the plate in the first two games, the Phillies struck out 13 times Thursday during a 2-1 loss to Arizona that trimmed their lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
“Not lack of focus, I can tell you that,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “These guys were locked in today coming into the ballpark and all the work was really good.”
The Diamondbacks won Game 3 on Ketel Marte's bases-loaded single off Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning after missing opportunities all afternoon.
Philadelphia's quiet day at the plate set the stage for the home heroics.
The defending NL champion Phillies jumped on the Diamondbacks early in the series' opening two games in Philadelphia, hitting six homers while outscoring them 15-3.
The desert air — not to
mention Arizona's pitchers — caused a Game 3 power outage.
Diamondbacks rookie Brandon Pfaadt started the whiff fest, striking out nine in 52⁄3 innings while matching Ranger Suárez's stellar start for the Phillies.
Arizona's relievers picked it up from there, combining with Pfaadt to hold the Phillies — top 10 in hitting all season — to three hits. Philadelphia scored its only run, in the seventh inning, without hitting a ball out of the infield.
“Ranger kept us in it,
but we didn't do enough offensively,” shortstop Trea Turner said.
It was a much different story in Philadelphia.
Playing in front of their raucous fans, the Phillies bashed Arizona's top two starters to begin the series, scoring a combined nine runs in 102⁄3 innings off Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.
A rookie had them flailing at pitches all afternoon in the desert.
Pfaadt got Philadelphia's hitters to chase big curveballs and freeze on mid-90s fastballs, inducing 18 swings and misses.