Diamondbacks Gain Serious Playoff Ground with Huge Win over Pirates

The Arizona Diamondbacks faced a critical three-game series in Pittsburgh this week, and a tough loss in game one set them up to potentially lose valuable playoff ground.

But the Diamondbacks rallied for a gritty extra-inning win in game two, forcing Wednesday's rubber match to carry some serious postseason implications.

And as he's done so often this year, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez was dominant with his back to the wall. He fired eight scoreless innings in Wednesday's finale, as the Diamondbacks managed to earn a critical 3-0 victory and a series win over the Pirates on the road.

This one was a big one.

Diamondbacks gain playoff ground with win over Pirates

Jul 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) hits an RBI single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The first order of business in this series was the tiebreaker. As it stood coming in, Pittsburgh held the lead in the season series after taking two of three at Chase Field earlier this year.

So the D-backs needed to, at minimum, win two games in this series to avoid losing the season series. The two teams are now tied at 3-3 with no more matchups scheduled.

Should it come down to a tiebreaker between these two clubs now, it would turn to their records. Arizona is 21-11 in the NL West this year, which is the best winning percentage in the division, though the Dodgers have more wins at 22-15. The Pirates are 18-14 in the NL Central.

But the tiebreaker is not the entire focus. With the win, the D-backs improved to 57-52, gaining a two-game lead over the Pirates, who fall to 55-54. And with the Phillies losing to the Marlins earlier Wednesday, Arizona currently holds the second — not the final — Wild Card slot.

The Diamondbacks do hold a 2-1 lead over the Phillies this year currently, but will play three more games against Philadelphia at the end of August.

There is still plenty of time left in this season, but stacking wins over fellow NL playoff hopeful clubs will only help the Diamondbacks' playoff chances, and could help push GM Mike Hazen to buy at the Trade Deadline, as well.

Eduardo Rodriguez deals for big win

Jul 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's nothing new to see Rodriguez put up a strong outing this season, especially in big moments. But this one will go down as one of the more notable starts by the veteran lefty.

Rodriguez completed eight scoreless frames for the second time this season. That marked only the second time in his career he's had two such games in a season. The first came during his 2023 season, which had been the best season of his career prior to 2026.

Rodriguez threw 105 pitches and only got two strikeouts, but he lived off soft contact and clearly had the Pirates' in his grasp all game.

A two-run homer from Gabriel Moreno and an RBI knock by Max Kepler comprised all the offense needed for Brandyn Garcia — who becomes the first to replace Paul Sewald in the ninth inning — to notch his second save of the year. Arizona escaped with only one reliever utilized and will have an off day Thursday before heading to Cleveland to take on the Guardians with a more-rested bullpen.

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