Luke Weaver gives D-backs 3 strong innings during return from IL
Jun 12, 2022, 12:57 PM | Updated: Jun 13, 2022, 7:42 am
Luke Weaver #24 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on September 19, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks turned to Luke Weaver out of the bullpen for the first time since April in a 13-1 win Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Weaver came off the 60-day injured list before the game after dealing with right shoulder inflammation. He had not pitched in the majors since Opening Day on April 7.
The D-backs utilized a bullpen game Sunday with Humberto Castellanos on the injured list. Kyle Nelson started for the first time in his career, and Weaver relieved him in the second inning.
Arizona led 3-0 when Weaver ran out of the pen, and the 28-year-old did his job by keeping the lead intact through three innings of work.
Weaver struck out his first batter, Phillies right fielder and 2021 All-Star Nick Castellanos, to begin a scoreless second inning. He stranded a leadoff walk in the third with two more punch outs.
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The righty ran into some trouble in the fourth inning and surrendered a run, but he left a pair of base runners aboard.
Weaver allowed one run on three hits with two walks during the outing. He struck out four batters and finished with 62 pitches.
The veteran threw 60 pitches in a rehab start on Tuesday with the Reno Aces in Triple-A.
The D-backs scored three runs in the first inning after a pair of defensive miscues by Philadelphia.
They took a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning after first baseman Christian Walker hit an RBI double in front of his family. The Pennsylvania native pointed to his fan section in the crowd after the knock.
Third baseman Josh Rojas brought home a fifth run in the sixth with a single to right. That extended Arizona’s lead to 5-1.
The D-backs broke the game open in the sixth, sending nine batters to the plate and adding three runs in the inning.
Reliever Joe Mantiply recorded six more outs in the next two innings, including a strikeout of Phillies star Bryce Harper, pushing his ERA to 0.39 on the season.
Arizona added two runs in the seventh, two in the eighth and one in the ninth to push the lead to 12 runs.
