PHOENIX – Merrill Kelly pitched five solid innings in his return from a shoulder injury, Jake McCarthy had three hits and four RBIs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks stayed hot with a 12-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

The D-backs won their eighth straight series and made it three of four victories against the Phillies. Since July 1, Arizona has a 25-10 record.

“I had fun,” Kelly said. “Obviously it feels good to be back with the guys and be part of the good baseball they play.”

Philadelphia has lost three games in a row and 10 of 14. The Phillies have allowed 23 runs in their last two games.

McCarthy broke the game in the fifth with a two-out triple along the right field line which scored three runs and made it 8-2. The outfielder is one of the best hitters in the major leagues with a .403 average (25 of 62) over the last three weeks.

Rookie catcher Adrian Del Castillo contributed three hits and two RBIs. The 25-year-old has batted down 7 of 12 passes in his first three major league games. including a walk-off homer on Friday.

Corbin Carroll hit a two-run homer in the seventh to make it 12-5. It was his 11th home run of the season. Kevin Newman had three more hits, adding to the team’s 18-hit offensive streak.

Newman said the hitting was contagious throughout the lineup.

“When your guys are getting hits and finding barrels, it somehow seems to put you in a better mood,” Newman said. “There’s definitely that.”

Kelly (3-0) was back on the mound after nearly four months off due to a strained right shoulder. The veteran was a key part of the Diamondbacks’ run to the 2023 World Series with a 12-8 record and a 3.29 ERA.

He managed five innings with 85 pitches and the last four innings were scoreless. The 35-year-old allowed two runs on three hits and two walks and managed two strikeouts.

“It looked like Merrill at his old form,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “They shuffled the pitches, followed a game plan and got us back in the dugout to score some runs.”

The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the first when Alec Bohm hit a two-run double into right-center that scored Trea Turner and Bryce Harper. The D-backs cut that lead in half in the bottom of the first on Randal Grichuk’s RBI single.

Arizona took control with a four-run third inning. Eugenio Suárez tied the game with an RBI double and the D-backs took a 4-2 lead on a two-run single by rookie Del Castillo down the right field line. Del Castillo scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.

Nick Castellanos had two hits for the Phillies. Brandon Marsh and Cal Stevenson added RBI singles.

Philadelphia finished the long away trip with 4:6.

“Not our best,” Harper said. “We’re not playing the way we should be playing right now. We just need to come home and wash this away.”

Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (8-8) allowed five runs on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed two walks and struck out four times.

Trainer room

D-backs OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left the game after the third inning with a strained left hamstring. He was 2-for-2 at the plate and made an impressive diving catch off the left-field wall before Carroll took his place. Lovullo said Gurriel does not need testing and will be evaluated day-to-day.

Make movements

Phillies: Claimed RHP Kyle Tyler from Miami off waivers and sent him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Designated RHP Nick Nelson for assignment.

Diamondbacks: RHP Scott McGough was sent to Triple-A Reno. RHP Humberto Castellanos was designated for transfer.

Next

Phillies: Monday off. RHP Taijuan Walker (3-3, 5.60 ERA) is expected to start Tuesday at home against Miami.

Diamondbacks: Arizona stays home and sends RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-6, 3.92) to the mound on Monday. Colorado counters with RHP Cal Quantrill (7-8, 4.56).