Diamondbacks score early to sweep Phillies
PHILADELPHIA -- In winning the first three of a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Arizona Diamondbacks took until the middle innings to seize control.
For Monday's series finale, they got everything they needed right up front.
The Diamondbacks scored three runs before Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson could even get an out and rode those scores all the way to a 3-1 win and a four-game series sweep over the Phillies.
It's the first series sweep for Arizona since winning three in Atlanta from May 6-8 and only their third sweep of the season -- all on the road.
For the Phillies (30-41), their seventh loss in a row matches a season high and drops the club to season-worst 11 games under .500.
The damage was done on exactly 10 pitches: three for a Jean Segura double, two for a Phil Gosselin RBI single to score the second baseman and five for a Jake Lamb home run to bring home Gosselin.
Hellickson (4-6, 4.41 ERA) settled down after that, allowing only two hits over the next six innings. But as been the Phillies' problem all season long, he couldn't get any offense to bail him out -- the Phillies' 3.1 runs per game are the fewest in the majors.
The Phillies have managed to score four runs off an opposing starter only three times all season, each of which came against the Brewers. They haven't scored more than three runs in any game during their currently losing streak.
Philadelphia's only offense came in the bottom of the second inning, when left fielder Tyler Goeddel picked up his 12th RBI with a double to score third baseman Andres Blanco.
Arizona starter Shelby Miller (2-6, 6.36 ERA) went 6 2/3 innings in his return from a right index finger sprain that sent him to the 15-day DL, giving up five hits and the one earned run, striking out five and walking one.
Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler allowed two baserunners in the ninth inning but got a double play ball and strikeout for his 15th save of the season.
Lamb's home run was his second of the series, sixth of the month and 14th of the season, in only 230 at-bats.
In his first 476 major league at-bats between 2014-15, the 25-year-old corner infielder had hit just 10 homers. Now, Lamb is on the doorstep of being in the top 10 in the National League in that category.
NOTES: With a 5-1 win on Sunday, Arizona secured its first series win in Philadelphia since a sweep from May 28-30, 2007. The Phillies had won the previous eight series at Citizens Bank Park, going 19-5 in those games. ... Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt entered play on Monday with a 13-game hitting streak that is the longest active hitting streak in the majors. ... The Phillies are headed on a nine-game road trip starting Tuesday, with three games at Minnesota (June 21-23), San Francisco (June 24-26) and Arizona (June 27-29). The Diamondbacks travel to Toronto (June 21-22) and Colorado (June 23-26) before hosting the Phillies. ... After Sunday's loss, the Phillies claimed RHP Phil Klein off waivers from the Texas Rangers and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.