PHOENIX -- It was right there for the Diamondbacks on Wednesday: a chance at a winning record since the season's first few weeks and a sweep of the team at that arrived in Arizona with baseball's best record since the All-Star break.
And then it was gone when a bang-bang call at the plate in the eighth inning didn't go their way and when that call was upheld after a replay review. At least that's the way several thousand at Chase Field felt after the Phillies held on for a 7-6 afternoon victory.
Manager Chip Hale didn't at all agree with the review outcome, but he knows the D-backs' demise on this day didn't come in the form of one play.
The D-backs (56-57) racked up 16 hits -- their club-record fourth straight game with at least 15 -- but stranded 10 runners on base, including two immediately after the controversial call and another in the ninth.
"We had plenty of opportunities to score runs," Hale said. "Even in that situation right there, we have to do a better job of hitting the ball where we can score a run. It's not the umpires' fault because we weren't able to tie the game."
Plenty of chances, for sure, but on the one that garnered the most attention, the D-backs had runners on second and third with one out. A.J. Pollock hit a hard grounder to Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who threw home to cut down Chris Owings on a sweep tag by catcher Cameron Rupp.
The play was close and it stood after a 4-minute, 7-second replay review. Hale only shook his head in the dugout.
"I thought he was safe," Hale said. "I guess there wasn't enough evidence. That's what you always hear. That's their excuse: not enough evidence."
Owings also thought he was safe.
"I thought I might have got in there," he said. "It was more his wrist/forearm that (tagged) me rather than his glove. It was definitely a big play. I wish maybe I would have gotten a little better jump and tied the ballgame right there."
Paul Goldschmidt then struck out against Phillies closer Ken Giles, who worked around a two-out single by David Peralta in the ninth for his seventh save.
The D-backs also lost a challenge in the fifth, when they felt Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard bobbled a throw in the dirt from third baseman Andre Blanco on a Pollock groundball.
"It's obviously not a good time to talk to me about replay," Hale said after the game. "They do the best they can back in New York, and the rules are that they're looking for clear and convincing evidence and when they don't get it they're not going to overturn a call."
Chase Anderson, who lost for the fourth time in six decisions, took blame for the defeat after he gave up five runs on nine hits in five-plus innings and couldn't hold two leads.
"I put this game on my shoulders. I'll take the loss, for sure," he said. "When the guys come back score a run and you have the lead, you have to go back out in the sixth inning and put up a zero."
Anderson instead gave up hits to Howard and Jeff Francoeur before he was replaced by left-hander Keith Hessler. The rookie in his third major league appearance got groundout and then gave up a three-run home run to Rupp that gave Philadelphia a 7-4 lead.
The D-backs went 4-2 on the brief homestand and head out on another 10-game road trip, starting Friday in Atlanta. The D-backs face two struggles teams -- the Braves to start the trip and the Reds to end it -- sandwiched around three games against the Pirates. But both the Braves and Reds are much better teams at home.
"It's not who you play it's when you play them," Hale said. "We'll see when we get to Atlanta exactly how they're playing. They've been a lot better at home than on the road. So we'll have to be ready to go."
DID YOU NOTICE?
David Hernandez took a comebacker off his right ankle and had to leave the game in the sixth. He was diagnosed with a contusion and expected to be okay in a couple days, Hale said.
KEY STAT
112 -- The D-backs last had a winning record on April 22, 112 days ago. That stretch will run to at least 114 days.
LAST CALL
Right-handed reliever Randall Delgado (ankle) on Wednesday night began a rehab assignment with the Arizona Summer League D-backs and will join Double-A Mobile later this week. He could be activated at any point on the 10-game road trip once he shows he is healthy, Hale said.
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