Phillies power past Diamondbacks
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A trio of homers powered the Philadelphia Phillies to an 8-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle test of a three-game set at Chase Field.
Hunter Pence and Laynce Nix both hit two-run blasts off Arizona starter Josh Collmenter (0-2) in the fourth inning, while Shane Victorino added a leadoff shot in the eighth.
Pence underwent a precautionary MRI on his left shoulder earlier Tuesday after sitting out the series opener. Pence injured the shoulder diving for a ball in the Phillies' loss to San Diego on Sunday.
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Pete Orr hit a three-run triple for the Phillies, who snapped their losing streak at three games.
"We got a long season to go and this team has a lot of potential," Pence said.
Vance Worley (2-1) gave up a solo home run to Cody Ransom among five hits in six strong innings to pick up the win. Jonathan Papelbon retired the Diamondbacks in order in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.
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Collmenter was tagged for six runs on nine hits over six-plus frames.
"You take away a couple big blasts and we're in the ball game," Collmenter said.
Arizona lost for the sixth time in eight games.
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Down 4-0, Ransom put the Diamondbacks on the board with a leadoff dinger in the fifth.
Bryan Shaw relieved Collmenter after Nix and Brian Schneider hit back-to-back singles to open the seventh. Later in the inning, left fielder Jason Kubel appeared to make a sliding catch to rob Juan Pierre of a base hit. However, Pierre was awarded a single on the play, and the bases were loaded for Orr, who cleared them with a triple to right field.
Arizona responded with a three-spot in the home seventh as Jose Contreras surrendered three straight doubles to Willie Bloomquist, pinch-hitter Ryan Roberts and Gerardo Parra, who stole third and scored on a groundout by Justin Upton to close the gap to 7-4.
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Victorino and Kubel exchanged home runs in the eighth.
Game Notes
Pence snapped an 0-for-16 skid at the plate with his home run...The Phillies improved to 4-5 against NL West teams this season after going 23-9 against them in 2011...Philadelphia infielder Ty Wigginton doubled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games...Nix went 3-for-3.