Diamondbacks Rally to Beat Phillies 6-5, Tying NLCS at 2-2

If there was any doubt left that the Diamondbacks belong in the NLCS and can compete with the Phillies, that doubt evaporated along with the baseball Alek Thomas drove into the pool to tie up the game 5-5 in the 8th inning. Gabriel Moreno's go-ahead hit put the D-backs up for good at 6-5 and Paul Sewald locked down the save, as the D-backs tied up the series at 2-2.

That loud enough for ya ?

Alek Thomas !

pic.twitter.com/DopNKGhPH2
— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) October 21, 2023

Ah the pool. For some reason that seams to be a target for other teams to disrespect the Diamondbacks. Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs talked about everyone making a beeline for the pool if the Phillies clinched in Chase Field. There will be no such celebration here. No matter what happens tomorrow night when Zac Gallen takes the mound, this series is going back to Philadelphia.

The Diamondbacks were shorthanded in the starting pitching department tonight, forcing Torey Lovullo to go to a bullpen game. He named Joe Mantiply as the starter, and for the first three innings the plan worked like a charm. Mantiply, Luis Frias, and Kyle Nelson combined to pitch to the minimum nine batters while holding the Phillies scoreless.

Sloppy Phillies defense in the second put Christian Walker on third and Emmanuel Rivera delivered a two out hit, his first of the post season to drive in the first run of the game. In the 3rd inning Gabriel Moreno delivered the first of his two RBI singles, driving in Ketel Marte. Marte had reached on a single and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a groundout. That hit extended Marte's postseason hit streak to 13. With a 2-0 lead and the bullpen cruising it seemed like the plan was working to a tee.

Then it wasn't. Kyle Schwarber took Nelson deep on a 115 MPH line drive that landed in the right field bleachers for the Phillies' first run. Miguel Castro shut down the rest of the inning and got two outs in the 5th, but also gave up a base hit. Relieved by Andrew Saalfrank, the rookie left-hander gave up a deep double to Brandon Marsh and the Phillies had tied it up at 2-2.

Saalfrank then walked the bases loaded in the 6th as the bullpen game started to unravel. Ryan Thompson came in and gave up an infield hit to Alec Bohm. Fielded by Rivera, he made a throwing error at home and a second run had scored. Then in the 7th, Johan Rojas hit a triple off Thompson with one out and the speedy centerfielder scored later on a sacrifice fly. The Phillies had muscled their way to a 5-2 lead and things looked bleak.

There is no quit in this D-backs team however. They got a run in the 7th on a base hit and three walks issued by Phillies rookie Orion Kerkering, who had a poor outing last night as well. The last walk was to Christian Walker, for an RBI. Then came the dramatic 8th inning.

Craig Kimbrel came out of the pen to work his third game of the series. Last night it was Kimbrel on the mound when the D-backs walked it off on a Ketel Marte hit. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. roped a double into the left field corner and one out later Thomas hit his blast on 3-2 pitch that was well out over the outer edge of the plate. Thomas was edging out looking for something out, and in his post game he said he thought it was over the middle. "I was just looking for something over the heart of the plate. I felt like he was kind of hammering me in or at least it felt like it. Then I finally got something over the heart of the plate, or it was a little outside, but it felt like it was right down the middle."

A humble and remarkably calm and subdued Thomas, wearing a black cowboy hat in the press conference talked about the stuff that dreams are made of.

"That play is definitely something that you see in your dreams. For it to come in real life and for it to happen to me is just awesome. I'm so grateful to have that moment. It's just unreal"

The inning wasn't over. Kimbrel gave up a single and then hit Carroll on the thigh with a pitch and was removed from the game for Jose Alvarado. Moreno came up and lined a 100 MPH sinker on a 3-1 count into left center for the game-winning hit.

Paul Sewald struck out the first two batters in the ninth but Schwarber doubled to put the tying run on second. With the Chase Field crowd rocking and roaring, Sewald struck out Trea Turner to end the game.

Lovullo's emotions ran deep after the game. Asked how he felt, he said "Better than you can imagine.....We're going to enjoy this moment. I can't really describe how I feel because I haven't had a chance to interpret what just happened. It happened so quickly, and it was just a group of players banding together and getting the job done....I love this team. I love these guys.

He also revealed his strategy for the bullpen game. He intended for Saalfrank to go six or seven hitters, but said it was obvious that the rookie was grinding and struggling. So he clipped him early, falling a few outs short of his plan. Lovullo also said that he was holding Ryne Nelson and Slade Cecconi back in case the game went extra innings.

Game 5 of the series is tomorrow night at Chase Field, first pitch is at 5:07 P.M. Arizona time. Game 1 starters Zac Gallen and Zack Wheeler will lock horns once again. The Diamondbacks will be hoping they get the home version of Gallen and he goes deep in the game.