D-backs’ Moreno and Pederson go back-to-back in win over Phillies; Pederson eggs on crowd

Arizona Diamondbacks Gabriel Moreno and Joc Pederson blasted back-to-back home runs, and Pederson egged on a booing crowd of Philadelphia Phillies fans at Citizens Bank Park on Friday.

The home runs pushed the D-backs ahead 4-0 in the third inning against Phillies starter Taijuan Walker, and Arizona (38-38) held on for a 5-4 victory on the backs of the long ball, a quality start from Jordan Montgomery and stellar defense.

The D-backs are 13-6 in June and improved to .500 for the first time since April 16.

Gabriel Moreno and Joc Pederson go back-to-back! pic.twitter.com/aEK1mHxayr

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 21, 2024

Diamondbacks hit 3 home runs vs. Phillies

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. got the scoring started  with a solo shot in the second inning.

Moreno’s homer went 433 feet to dead center field, the furthest home run in the 24-year-old catcher’s career. Pederson followed with a 404-footer on a breaking ball, and he held his hand to his ear to better hear the boos from Phillies fans.

Friday was the first matchup between the two sides since Game 7 of the National League Championship Series, when the D-backs beat the Phillies to win the pennant.

Pederson was not a part of that series but has played in the NL for nearly a decade, and it did not take long for him to ingratiate himself. He told the Apple TV+ broadcast after the game he called his shot after striking out in the first inning and hearing about it from the fans.

The D-backs have hit back-to-back homers seven times this season. They used back-to-back home runs to take a lead in Game 6 of the NLCS (Tommy Pham and Gurriel), as well.

The Phillies (49-26) responded with a Trea Turner two-run home run off Montgomery quickly after manager Torey Lovullo said to the broadcast they cannot take a four-run lead for granted.

Diamondbacks’ pitching holds on

Montgomery pushed through six innings with two earned runs and five hits, a third straight solid outing as his ERA is back down to 5.71. The D-backs have now won his last three starts.

The Phillies tacked on a run in the seventh, but Joe Mantiply induced a Bryce Harper inning-ending double play with the bases loaded. In the eighth, a Blaze Alexander single and stolen base set up Geraldo Perdomo for an RBI knock, a key insurance run.

Philadelphia’s Nick Castellanos hit a solo shot in the eighth inning off Ryan Thompson, but Paul Sewald locked it down to earn a save in the ninth.

Thompson made the defensive play of the game, bare-handing a swinging bunt and delivering a perfect throw to first to rob Alec Bohm. Castellanos was the next hitter.

RYAN THOMPSON ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! pic.twitter.com/JLGLuBzC5r

— Dalton Feely (@dfeely14) June 22, 2024

Diamondbacks injuries

The D-backs, however, removed Moreno (sprained thumb) and Gurriel (elbow soreness) to injuries during the game.

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