Two Walk-Off Winners Spell Successful Night for D-backs' Affiliates

The Diamondbacks' minor league clubs had a wild night of success on Friday.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Trey Mancini stretches for a throw against the Texas Rangers during Cactus League play at Salt River Fields on March 9, 2025. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks' four affiliate minor league clubs went a collective 2-2 on Friday night, with a pair of thrilling walk-off victories. Here's how each level made out:

Triple-A: Reno Aces 7, Las Vegas Aviators 6

The Aces landed an early lead in the first inning. Jake McCarthy reached on error and Jordan Lawlar singled, and Trey Mancini brought McCarthy home. Jorge Barrosa then hit a sac fly to score Lawlar.

But starter Yilber Diaz only managed to get through three innings, as he allowed three earned runs on two hits and five walks, squandering the lead in the third inning, He did, however, strike out five.

Taylor Rashi threw three innings of his own and gave up two, spotting Las Vegas a 5-2 lead heading into the seventh, as Connor Kaiser homered to bring them a run closer. The Aces surged to life in the ninth, as Cristian Pache singled and Aramis Garcia hit a two-run homer to tie the game. Jake Rice gave up the ghost runner in the 10th, but it was Mancini who won it for Reno, blasting a two-run homer to walk off the contest in the bottom half of the inning.

OH MY GOODNESS

TREY MANCINI WINS THE GAME OFF THE TOP OF THE SCOREBOARD pic.twitter.com/azOwBQDbkp

— Reno Aces (@Aces) May 10, 2025

Mancini finished 3-for-5 with three RBI. Jordan Lawlar was 2-for-4, and right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman tossed an efficient 1-2-3 inning on 12 pitches in his second rehab stint.

Double-A: Amarillo Sod Poodles 4, Tulsa Drillers 6

The Sod Poodles almost managed a late-game comeback of their own, but squandered their chances in the ninth inning. Similarly to Reno, Amarillo landed itself an early 3-0 lead. Kristian Robinson walked, Tommy Troy doubled, and Cristian Cerda singled home Robinson in the first.

They tacked on two more in the third, as Robinson and Troy both walked, followed by a third base on balls by LuJames Groover. Gavin Conticello then plated two with a single.

But in the fourth, starter Jose Cabrera gave up a leadoff single and a trio of doubles en route to a tie game. Cabrera still finished with a decently strong night, going 5.2 innings and punching out three, but he did allow nine hits and a walk.

After a Drillers homer made it 4-3 in the seventh, Ivan Melendez tied the game with a tank of his own, but the aces couldn't get much going, and reliever Jhosmer Alvarez gave up three walks and the losing two-run single.

Melendez went 2-for-4 with a homer. Conticello, Troy and Robinson each had a base hit, as did Cerda and shortstop Jose Fernandez, but it was a relatively quiet night from Amarillo's offense.

High-A: Hillsboro Hops 5, Eugene Emeralds 4

The Hops didn't win by walk-off, but they did rally from down 4-0 with a four-run sixth inning. Eugene got two off right-hander John West with a solo homer, double and error in the second inning. He gave up a triple and RBI single with one out in the third.

West only lasted four innings, giving up seven hits and three runs (two earned). He did however, punch out five without walking a batter.

Anderson Rojas then reached on error to open the sixth and begin the rally. Top prospects Ryan Waldschmidt and Demetrio Crisantes then both singled, with the latter knocking in Hillsboro's first run. A wild pitch scored Waldschmidt, and Jansel Luis tripled and scored on a Kenny Castillo singled.

Outfielder Angel Ortiz homered in the eighth for Hillsboro's first lead as the Hops held on for the comeback victory. Waldschmidt and Crisantes went 1-for-4 while Luis went 3-for-4 with a triple and a double. Hillsboro's bullpen tossed five impressive innings with eight punchouts to hold it down, with just one unearned run shared between four arms.

Low-A: Visalia Rawhide 6, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5

The Rawhide won a thriller with a walk-off of their own despite being out-hit 9-6. Visalia took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, after a Slade Caldwell triple was scored by a wild pitch.

That was the only run scored by either team until the seventh inning, when the Quakes collected a single, passed ball, stolen base and sacrifice fly to tie the game. A disastrous eighth inning then saw Rancho Cucamonga plate four off left-hander Adonys Perez. The Quakes put up a double, triple, homer and three singles to take a 5-1 lead.

The Rawhide fought back immediately with a pair of singles to lead off the home half. Caldwell then collected his second hit — an RBI single, before stealing and eventually scoring after a sacrifice fly and RBI groundout, as the score inched back in Visalia's favor, 5-4.

Then began the ninth. After a scoreless top half, the Rawhide got a leadoff walk and stolen base from infielder Yerald Nin. Catcher Alberto Barriga doubled to tie the score at five apiece.

With one out, Quakes righty Marco Corcho entered and immediately walked the next two batters. With bases loaded, he had nowhere to put outfielder Trent Youngblood, issuing a walk-off base on balls to complete the comeback.

The Rawhide only had six hits, and Caldwell had two of them, going 2-for-5 with a triple and RBI single. Four other Visalia batters had a base hit, but Barriga's double was the only other extra-base knock. The club took seven walks, four of which came in the ninth.