The Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for a dramatic 8-7 walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins at Chase Field on Monday night, keeping their National League Wild Card hopes alive. Corbin Carroll delivered the decisive blow, a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning that capped a comeback from a 7-4 deficit after seven innings.
Carroll’s Clutch Homer Shifts Momentum
The win carries significant weight in the tight NL Wild Card race. The San Diego Padres, who currently hold the final spot, defeated the Colorado Rockies earlier in the evening. Had Arizona lost, they would have fallen 3½ games behind San Diego with a crucial three-game series in San Diego looming to close the regular season. Instead, the victory may have shifted momentum in the Diamondbacks’ favor.
Manager Torey Lovullo described the win as a potential catalyst.
“We kept plowing away at it, and it was a great win,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We know what was going on around us. We haven’t been playing great baseball, and to win a game like that today is, in my opinion, one of those catalyst type of games that pushes you forward and gets you ready for the next day.”
Ninth-Inning Drama Unfolds
The rally began in the eighth inning when Jordan Lawlar launched a two-run homer to cut the Marlins’ lead to 7-5. In the ninth, Miami closer Pete Fairbanks walked Gabriel Moreno to start the inning. Fairbanks threw one pitch to Geraldo Perdomo before exiting with an injury, bringing Jack Ralston into the game.
Perdomo laid down a bunt to advance pinch-runner Tommy Troy to second base, setting the stage for Carroll. During the extended warm-up period for Ralston, Carroll prepared a specific approach.
“I had a lot of confidence Perdomo was going to do his job,” Carroll said. “So I had an idea that there would be a runner on second, and was just kind of thinking through his pitches and what he might be likely to go with.”
With first base open, Carroll stayed patient, hunting a pitch in the middle of the zone. On a 2-1 count, Ralston left a splitter up, and Carroll crushed it to right field for the game-ending home run.
Overcoming a Prolonged Slump
The home run was a significant moment for Carroll, who has been grinding through a difficult stretch at the plate while managing a lower back issue. Entering the at-bat, he was just 8-for-59 (.136) in his previous 65 plate appearances. Lovullo praised the outfielder’s resilience and commitment.
“We know what Corbin’s been grinding through,” Lovullo said. “We watch it every single day, you guys included. But he continues to fight, and he commits. He commits to what he’s going to do in the box. He commits to being present and engaged in the box, he commits to being a great teammate and coming through, and it was a good moment for him.”
Carroll Unaware of Padres Result
In a testament to his singular focus, Carroll revealed after the game that he was unaware the Padres had won earlier in the night.
“Honestly, I didn’t know they won,” Carroll said. “I didn’t know they won today. I missed that one.”
The hanging splitter, however, he did not miss. The walk-off keeps Arizona within striking distance in the Wild Card race and provides a much-needed confidence boost heading into the final stretch of the season.
