Schwarber, Harper homer to lead Phillies over Diamondbacks 4-3 to stop 3-game skid

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the third inning and Bryce Harper went deep two pitches later, boosting the Philadelphia Phillies over the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Saturday to stop a three-game losing streak.

Arizona, which had won three straight, did not use catcher Gabriel Moreno, who left Friday’s game because of left lower back tightness and was sent for an MRI.

“He's got a lower back issue that's not a bone or the typical back situation. It’s more muscular in nature,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It's looking like a IL stint, for sure. ... We think it could be a very quick turnaround.”

Ketel Marte hit his 14th career leadoff home run and Adrian Del Castillo had an RBI single for a 2-0 lead in the first off Taijuan Walker (1-2). Batters are 10 for 19 (.526) in the first inning with nine runs off Walker in three starts.

Schwarber homered off a changeup from Brandon Pfaadt (0-1), his fourth home run this season, and Harper followed with a 419-foot drive on a fastball for his third homer.

Walker allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. Brad Keller gave up a two-out RBI single to Jose Fernandez in the eighth, then struck out Nolan Arenado to strand a runner on third.

Jhoan Duran pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save. The Phillies bullpen has allowed two earned runs in its last 26 1/3 innings.

Rookie Justin Crawford had two hits for the Phillies and is batting .350.

Pfaadt had pink shoelaces on his cleats as a gender reveal for the baby that his brother, Brett, and his wife, Hannah, are expecting. Brett and Brandon were teammates at Bellarmine University in 2020, with Brandon drafted in the fifth round by Arizona that year.

Arizona catcher Adrian Del Castillo had three hits.

Phillies RHP Andrew Painter (1-0) and Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (1-1) start Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper watches his solo home run off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber hits a three-run home run off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrates his three-run home run off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt with Alec Bohm, right, during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

VELLETRI, Italy (AP) — Defending champion Italy advanced to the Billie Jean King Cup finals while 2025 runner-up the United States was eliminated by Belgium in the qualifiers on Saturday.

Italy beat Japan 3-1, clinching when Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani outclassed Eri Hozumi and Shuko Aoyama 6-2, 7-5 on clay in Velletri, outside Rome.

The Italians are seeking a third consecutive title in the women’s team tournament.

The Americans reached the final last year for the first time since 2018 but the 18-time champion will be watching the finals in Shenzhen in September from afar again after losing to Belgium 3-1 in Ostend.

The Americans started Saturday already 2-0 down after Hanne Vandewinkel and Elise Mertens won the Friday singles. Caty McNally and Nicole Melichar kept the U.S. alive by winning the doubles in straight sets but Belgium took the tie when 149th-ranked Greet Minnen upset 16th-ranked Iva Jovic 7-5, 6-3.

“We are such a small country and it means a lot,” Mertens said. “First of all, however, we are going to celebrate tonight.”

Britain knocked off Australia 3-1 in Melbourne, Kazakhstan defeated 2023 champion Canada 3-1 in Astana, and Ukraine reached the finals for the second time and second straight year after beating Poland 4-0 in Gliwice.

Also advancing were Spain and the Czech Republic. Host nation China qualified automatically.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto, right, serves to Japan's Moyuka Uchijima during the Billy Jean King Cup match between Italy and Japan in Velletri, Italy, Friday April 10, 2026. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)