D-backs Comeback Falls Short with Game Ending Base Running Mistake

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost a heartbreaker on Saturday night to the Chicago Cubs 4-3. A golden opportunity to complete a comeback was snuffed out on a baserunning gaffe by pinch runner Garrett Hampson.

The utility player who had just made the Opening Day roster as the 26th man laid flat on his back with his head in his hands trying to process what had just happened.

With Ketel Marte on first and Hampson at second, Corbin Carroll hit a two bounce chopper to shortstop Dansby Swanson. Knowing he had no chance to catch the speedy Carroll at first, Swanson pump faked a throw to first and ran towards third.

Hampson meanwhile had rounded the bag and got caught too far off, thinking the throw was going to first, which if it had would have presented him the opportunity to score. Instead he was tagged out easily by Swanson, as third base coach Shaun Larkin frantically pointed back towards the third base bag. Game over.

The game ending play that cost the #Dbacks a chance for a comeback win
pic.twitter.com/A5ab73Fdlb
— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) March 30, 2025

As a former infielder, coach, and manager for many decades, Torey Lovullo saw the play unfolding in front of him and knew what was going to happen. This is how he described his view:

"As soon as the ball bounced that second time, I knew Corbin was not going to be out of first base. Just too much speed there. Dansby's a crafty player. He's very heady, and he was very aware of that. I saw the play happening before he actually was faking that throw, because as soon as that second bounce happened, my clock was very aware of it, and so was Dansby, and we got clipped."

Hampson himself was critical of himself and accountable, stating simply it was a bad play. He went on to say he was trying to be aggressive and was looking to score if the throw went to first. But he realized he should have been aware that they were never going to get Carroll.

Lovullo went out of his way to emphasize there were many other mistakes in the game, along with missed opportunities, that led to this point.

"It's all about execution, when you execute well, the way I expect us to, in every area. I don't want to be critical of just one space," the manager said.

Eugenio Suarez's two-run blast in the ninth inning made the score 4-3. It was his fourth homer in three games, which is a franchise record for the first four games of the season.

The D-backs had multiple other chances to score earlier in the game, but kept coming up short in their rally attempts, going just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. To be fair, Shota Imanaga was very good. He had his splitter working, allowing just one run in seven innings on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.

Still the D-backs had the bases loaded with one out in the second inning, but managed just one run on a dribbler groundout RBI by Jake McCarthy.

Josh Naylor hit a leadoff double in the fourth, but was thrown out at third base trying to tag up. Pete Crow-Armstrong made a terrific throw to get him as a safe call was overturned on review for the inning ending double play.

Lovullo was critical of this play as well. "The throw was amazing, right?" Lovullo asked. It was dropped in from the sky, right in the bucket, but you got to be sure. It's one of those things where you basically got to be standing up, and a bang-bang play is not what we're looking for."

A big chance started off the eighth inning as well. Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte both singled to get it started, but Corbin Carroll and Pavin Smith both struck out, while Lourdes Gurriel Jr. popped in between them.

Newly extended starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt pitched well, going six innings, and allowing just three runs for a quality start, albeit one of the 4.50 ERA variety.

Pfaadt encountered an old foe however, the fifth inning homer. Locked in a 1-1 tie with Imanaga, Kyle Tucker took the D-backs right-hander deep to right for a two-run homer to put the Cubs up 3-1 at the time.

The Cubs scored a run in the fourth when twice the D-backs failed to turn a double play, settling for force outs both times. That cost them when Miguel Amaya drove in Armstrong from first base with a double into the left field corner.

Reliever Jalen Beeks gave up a pinch-hit solo homer to Matt Shaw in the seventh inning, which turned out to be the winning run.

Pfaadt and Justin Martinez each made an error, although neither ended up costing a run. The D-backs now have made six errors in three games, after making 62 all last season.

That's not to say there wasn't any good defense on display however. Corbin Carroll made an excellent sliding catch in the sixth inning and Suarez followed with a beautiful pick and throw right after that to end the inning.

At the end of the day there just weren't enough good plays to offset the bad ones. The team played somewhat sloppy on opening night, and then again on Saturday. The outs on bases, both at third base to end an inning and then the game stand out. The errors and extra pitches thrown, the missed opportunities to turn double plays all added up.

"That's the difference between winning and losing close ballgames. When you have an opportunity and there's seven to ten plays that if you do them right, you win. If you do them wrong, you lose. We got to get on the right side of that ledger," said Lovullo.

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