James McCann and Nabil Crismatt Star in Diamondbacks Win

The D-backs held on for a tight 6-4 victory despite some shaky relief work

Arizona Diamondbacks James McCann bats against the Cleveland Guardians in the 2nd inning at Chase Field on Aug. 20, 2025. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks took the series finale against the Minnesota Twins by a score of 6-4, securing the series victory. Their record is now 75-75, allowing them to keep pace in the NL Wild Card chase. The Mets won and the Giants and Reds are still playing as of this writing.

James McCann and Nabil Crismatt had great games, and the bullpen white-knuckled their way through the final four innings, but held on.

Blaze Alexander exited the game after he was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning. Per the Diamondbacks broadcast, he is day-to-day with a left elbow contusion, and will receive further imaging. Stay tuned to Diamondbacks On SI for further updates

Here’s a look at ⁦@Dbacks⁩ Blaze Alexander’s elbow. He said if he’s able to bend it tomorrow he plans to play. pic.twitter.com/IWFCzNNM89

— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) September 14, 2025

Diamondbacks' James McCann Has Big Day at the Plate

James McCann stepped into the lineup on a day game after night to relieve the red-hot Gabriel Moreno. The D-backs' lineup did not skip a beat, as McCann had one of his best games this season.

He knocked a two-out RBI single in the second inning, driving in Alek Thomas, who had doubled just ahead of him.

Then in the fourth inning he drilled a three-run homer, his fourth of the year, to give the D-backs a 4-2 lead at the time. The four RBI were a season high and gave him 13 on the year.

Thomas had two hits, scored two runs, and hit a sacrifice fly in the 8th for an important tack on run. Tim Tawa also had an RBI single in the seventh.

Diamondbacks' Nabil Crismatt Excellent Once Again

The rise of Nabil Crismatt as a stalwart member of the Diamondbacks rotation is one of the most interesting and surprising developments of the 2025.

Related Content: How Diamondbacks' Unsung Hero is Finding Unconventional Success

Crismatt was magnificent once again, albeit in a truncated five-inning outing. He gave up three base hits, didn't walk a batter, hit one and struck out four. He induced 12 whiffs, nine with the changeup.

It was another soft contact clinic as well, as there were only three hard hit balls over 95 MPH among the 16 balls put in play.

The two runs Crismatt allowed were unearned, thanks to two Jordan Lawlar errors in the second inning, one fielding and one throwing. Both those errors came with two outs, and ultimately cost Crismatt a chance to go even deeper in the game.

But Torey Lovullo opted to pull Crismatt from the game at 83 pitches despite having retired eight straight. He left the game in line for the win with a 4-2 lead, and lowered his ERA to 2.70.

Shaky Diamondbacks' Bullpen Does Just Enough

Anthony DeSclafani came on to pitch the sixth inning and promptly gave up a solo homer to the second batter he faced. Then he gave up a leadoff homer to the first batter of the seventh inning.

DeSclafani left a bases loaded, two-out jam for Jalen Beeks in the eighth inning, but the lefty got a ground out to get out of the inning.

Ryan Thompson started the ninth, and got two quick outs before giving up a single. Lovullo went to lefty Kyle Backhus to face the lefty Kody Clemens. He walked that batter and hit the next, but finally got out of the bases loaded jam with a fly out to right, ending the game.