Phillies take series opener from D-backs; Sizemore shines again

By PATRICK GORDON | Managing Editor
July 25 2014 11:15PM EDT.
@Philabaseball

PHILADELPHIA - Sometimes in baseball the least likely players make the biggest contribution and that happened Friday night for the Phillies.

Grady Sizemore, Domonic Brown and Darin Ruf finished a combined 6-for-11 with four doubles, a home run and five RBIs to lead the Phillies to a 9-5 victory over the Arizona D-backs at Citizens Bank Park.

Sizemore collected his 1,000th career hit in the third inning with a double and scored on a Chase Utley single to push the lead to 3-0. On the night, Sizemore went 3-for-5 and improved his batting average to .400 while batting in the leadoff spot in the Phillies lineup.

"These guys are great," Sizemore said. "They've been so welcoming since I've come here. I feel good no matter where I'm at. I just want to be in the lineup, honestly. I feel like the more I play, the stronger I get."

Sizemore, 31, was released by the Red Sox earlier this year before signing with the Phillies. He's battled injuries for most of his career, but he's showing glimpses as to why he was a three-time All-Star.

"I feel like I've just kind of come in and just been able to play my game and go out and work hard," Sizemore said.

Ruf and Cody Asche each drove in runs in the fifth, pushing the Phillies to a 5-0 lead.

Kyle Kendrick tossed 5 2/3 innings and left with a 6-0 lead, but Antonio Bastardo surrendered a pinch-hit grand slam to allow the D-back to trim the deficit to two.

Brown added some insurance in the seventh with a two-run homer. He finished the contest with a pair of hits and three RBIs.

"There's a lot of time left in the season," Sandberg said. "It might be right on time for [Brown] to have nights like this and to put together some at-bats and to get hot. Now's a good time to do that."

The two clubs resume their three-game series on Saturday.

"Now's as good of a time as ever to do something," Sandberg said.

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