PHOENIX (AP) — Bryce Harper reached base five times, Jesús Luzardo threw 6 2/3 quality innings and the Philadelphia Phillies won their sixth straight game by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1 on Tuesday night.
The surging Phillies have won 15 of their last 17 and are now just three games behind the Atlanta Braves for the NL East lead.
Harper had four singles, including one on a surprise bunt in the first inning. The nine-time All-Star also walked, scored a run and drove in another, starting September with a terrific performance after slashing .333/.496/.573 in August.
Luzardo (13-5) gave up one run on six hits and a walk while striking out six. The hard-throwing lefty has a 1.32 ERA over his lasts six starts — joining Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sanchez for arguably baseball’s best starting rotation.
The Phillies never trailed, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Trea Turner hit an RBI double off the center-field wall in the first while Alec Bohm’s run-scoring single made it 3-1 in the fifth.
The D-backs cut the margin to 3-1 on Jordan Lawlar’s solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. The Phillies put the game away with a three-run eighth inning and another run in the ninth.
Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (14-5) needed 103 pitches to get through five innings. The All-Star gave up three runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out three.
The D-backs missed an opportunity to gain ground in the NL wild-card race. They’re still a half-game behind the San Diego Padres for the final playoff spot.
Up next
The Phillies send RHP Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.95 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday for the final game of the series. The D-backs haven’t named a starter.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
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