Tommy Pham back in Diamondbacks’ lineup for NLCS Game 6 vs. Phillies
Oct 23, 2023, 10:14 AM
Tommy Pham #28 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a home run during the eighth inning of the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 11, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Tommy Pham is back in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lineup as the designated hitter on Monday for Game 6 of the NLCS after sitting out the Game 5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Manager Torey Lovullo gave Pham a full game off as he replaced the veteran with Pavin Smith, who has gotten on base four times in nine postseason plate appearances.
Smith went 0-for-4 as the designated hitter Saturday in Arizona’s 6-1 loss, which put the Phillies ahead in the series, 3-2.
Pham is back in the five-hole in the Diamondbacks’ elimination game.
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“Even though he’s been grinding the past four or five games, I still feel like he’s very capable of taking one swing and getting on that run,” Lovullo said of Pham before Game 6. “(I wanted) him to step out of the lineup, catch his breath, watch through a different lens, maybe match him up in a great situation in Game 5, which never happened. And I also wanted to give Pavin a chance, who was swinging a very, very hot bat. I was just rolling the dice, it didn’t work out.
“I’ve got a lot of information that says Tommy should have a good day today.”
The rest of the D-backs’ lineup is in line with Game 5, with Corbin Carroll leading off.
Arizona will start pitcher Merrill Kelly six days after he last pitched. Kelly started Game 2 of the series, a 10-0 loss that saw him give up four earned runs and three homers over 5.2 innings.
The Phillies are throwing righty Aaron Nola, who went six scoreless frames in Game 2.
Diamondbacks NLCS Game 6 lineup vs. Phillies
1. Corbin Carroll, RF
2. Ketel Marte, 2B
3. Gabriel Moreno, C
4. Christian Walker, 1B
5. Tommy Pham, DH
6. Lourdes Gurriel Jr., LF
7. Alek Thomas, CF
8. Evan Longoria, 3B
9. Geraldo Perdomo, SS
SP: Merrill Kelly, RHP
Phillies NLCS Game 6 lineup
1. Kyle Schwarber, DH
2. Trea Turner, SS
3. Bryce Harper, 1B
4. Alec Bohm, 3B
5. Bryson Stott, 2B
6. J.T. Realmuto, C
7. Nick Castellanos, RF
8. Brandon Marsh, LF
9. Johan Rojas, CF
SP: Aaron Nola, RHP
