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Phils double up D'Backs to avoid sweep

Apr 28, 2011 - 3:06 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard each belted home runs as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-4, in the finale of a three-game set from Chase Field.

Rollins went 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Ben Francisco drove in two runs.

Cole Hamels (3-1) helped the Phillies stay perfect in series finale games this season, going seven innings, allowing three runs and striking out eight.

Chris Young hit his sixth and seventh homers of the season for Arizona, which had lost four straight before opening this series with back-to-back wins.

Joe Saunders (0-3) took the loss, allowing six runs and 10 hits, including two home runs, in just 5 2/3 innings.

Philadelphia jumped on Saunders early, scoring three runs in the top of the first. After a pair of singles by Victorino and Placido Polanco, Rollins ripped an RBI double down the left field line. Following a Howard strikeout, Ben Francisco placed a ground rule double over the left field fence, scoring Polanco and Rollins.

"We had another rocky first inning," said Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. "That's something that has plagued us all year."

Victorino's two-out, solo shot in the top of the second extended the Phillies' lead to 4-0.

Arizona got on the board in the next half-inning, as Melvin Mora's two-out double brought home Stephen Drew.

Still 4-1 in the fifth, Rollins extended Philadelphia's cushion further, depositing his first home run of the season into the left field stands. The blast also brought home Polanco, who had reached earlier on a double. The third baseman finished 4-for-5 and has now accumulated 37 hits in the month of April, tying a career-high.

"Rollins' home run was big because that tacked on some more runs for us," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

Young's first homer was of the two-run variety, cutting the Diamondbacks' deficit to 6-3. His second of the game, a solo blast, came in the eighth, an inning after reliever Juan Gutierrez issued a bases loaded walk to Brian Schneider, scoring Polanco.

"On a personal note it was good to, you know, barrel up a couple balls and kind of get my approach back," Young said. "But, you know, it was a tough loss today."

With the score 7-4 in the ninth, Howard connected on his fourth home run of the season, ripping a J.J. Putz splitter to dead-center. The shot was the 257th of Howard's career, drawing him within two of Del Ennis (259) for second all-time in Phillies history.

In a non-save situation, Ryan Madson threw a scoreless ninth, allowing runners to reach the corners with one out before striking out Mora and inducing pinch- hitter Miguel Montero into a groundout to second.

Game Notes

Philadelphia has not been swept in a series this season...The Phillies are now 9-0 in day games in 2011 and are the only major league club without a day loss this season.