D'Backs' Benes K's 10 Phillies

A matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies was just what Andy Benes needed.

After winning just once in his last five starts, Benes handcuffed the Phillies, striking out 10 in 6 2-3 innings, and the Arizona Diamondbacks battered Philadelphia's Curt Schilling for three home runs in an 8-2 victory Saturday.

Benes improved to 15-6 lifetime against the Phillies in 25 career starts and has a 2.81 ERA at Veterans Stadium.

Jay Bell, Matt Williams and Erubiel Durazo homered for the Diamondbacks, who took over the NL lead with 146 home runs. The club has won eight of 11, and increased its lead in the NL West to 4½ games over the San Francisco Giants. The Phillies' four-game winning streak was snapped.

Benes (7-10) survived a shaky first inning. Mixing in a crisp slider and effective changeup along with a solid fastball, Benes allowed two runs one earned and five hits.

"I threw a few more fastballs than I have in my last couple of starts but it really helped set up the off-speed stuff," Benes said. "I was able to stay aggressive and found good results because of it."

Arizona is depending on Benes to have a big second half. He responded with a 7-2 record in his last nine starts last season including a 3-0 mark and 0.47 in September.

"We all know what it means for him to pitch like that for the rest of the season," Arizona manager Buck Showater said. "He has a track record of being a big second-half pitcher and we hope that string continues."

Schilling (14-5) hadn't pitched in 14 days, missing one start with a strained right biceps and a second when his wife, Shonda, was hospitalized. He allowed eight runs seven earned and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. He struck out six and walked three.

The lack of work appeared to hurt Schilling early as Arizona collected four hits and three runs in the first inning.

"I was a little stiff at first but after I got loose after a couple of batters," Schilling said. "It wasn't as much as a problem as I thought it might be."

"I felt good. There was no pain at all. I made three big mistakes and a couple of little ones."

After Tony Womack led the game off with an infield single, Bell slammed his 29th homer. Durazo capped the scoring with an RBI single.

"It's a big mental lift to get a couple across against Schilling in the first," Bell said. "I'm sure he felt a little rusty in the first. After that, his fastball was active."

Durazo made it 4-0 in the fourth with his first major league home run a 446-foot shot into the center-field bleachers.

The Phillies, who loaded the bases in the first and didn't score, got RBI singles from Rob Ducey in the fifth inning and Bobby Abreu in the seventh.

"We couldn't catch up with Benes' fastball, then he'd drop in a very good slider," Phillies manager Terry Francona said. "The outcome wasn't what we wanted. But, we do feel better about Curt. For the next two months, things look good. We watched him pretty close."

Arizona added four runs in the seventh, including a three-run homer by Williams, his 25th.

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