PHOENIX — Christian Walker drove in three runs with a home run and a double and the Arizona Diamondbacks routed the Chicago White Sox 12-5 on Sunday.
Walker hit a solo homer in the first inning, singled in the third and drove in two more with a bases-loaded double in a six-run fourth inning as Arizona won two of three in the series. With a chance at a cycle, Walker struck out and hit into a double play in his final two at-bats.
Arizona starter Jordan Montgomery (5-4) benefitted from the offensive outburst. He pitched five innings, giving up four hits, one unearned run — caused by his own error — walked two and struck out seven.
The Diamondbacks bounced back from a 9-2 loss Saturday night, jumping on Chicago’s Drew Thorpe who was making his second major league start. Corbin Carroll walked on four pitches and Ketel Marte lined a single to right and Joc Pederson followed with a double to right, scoring both runners. Pederson was out trying to stretch it into a triple, but Walker hit Thorpe’s next pitch into the seats in left center for his 16th homer to make it 3-0.
In the fourth, the Diamondbacks loaded the bases on two hits and a walk. Marte hit a sacrifice fly and Pederson reached on catcher’s interference to re-load the bases. Chad Kuhl relieved Thorpe and Walker greeted him with the two-run double. Jake McCarthy hit a sacrifice fly and the final two runs of the inning scored on wild pitches — Kuhl threw three in the inning.
Thorpe (0-1) walked five and struck out none.
Thorpe made his debut Tuesday in Seattle. The third-ranked prospect in the White Sox farm system pitched five innings against the Mariners, giving up three hits and two runs (one earned), walking two and striking out four. Thorpe was acquired from San Diego in March in the trade that sent RHP Dylan Cease to the Padres.
Tommy Pham and Andrew Vaughn each had three hits for the White Sox, who out-hit the Diamondbacks 11-9.
Chicago, with the majors’ worst record at 19-54, fell well short in its bid to win just its second road series of the season. The White Sox are an MLB-worst 7-31 away from the South Side. They won two of three from the Cardinals May 3-5 in St. Louis.
Plate umpire Marvin Hudson left the game in the sixth inning after Walker’s foul ball hit him directly on the mask. Catcher Martín Maldonado grabbed Hudson and kept him from falling and the umpire was quickly assisted off the field. Second base umpire John Tumpane replaced Hudson behind the plate.
The game was played before a Father’s Day crowd of 37,694.
SOX MOVES
Chicago called up C Chuckie Robinson from Triple-A Charlotte, giving them three catchers on the roster with Maldonado and Korey Lee, who served as the DH on Sunday. OF Duke Ellis was designated for assignment.
NEXT
White Sox: Off day Monday. RHP Jonathan Cannon (0-1, 4.56 ERA) is scheduled to against Houston Tuesday night in Chicago.
Diamondbacks: Idle Monday. RHP Slade Cecconi (1-5, 6.70) starts the opener of a three-game series in Washington. RHP Jake Irvin (5-5, 3.00) goes for the Nationals.
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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