D-backs Fall Short in 9th Inning Comeback Attempt

Few moments encapsulated the opposite direction the D-backs are heading from the Dodgers than the final play of their 5-4 loss tonight. Corbin Carroll chopped a ball down the first base line but didn’t run immediately, thinking it was foul. Except Freddy Freeman fielded the ball in fair territory, whirled and threw to second and received the ball back for 3-6-3 game ending double play.

Carroll was completely accountable for his mistake after the game, standing in front of a gaggle of media. "There's no excuse for it", Carroll said. "You've got to run hard out of the box...I thought the initial bounce was foul. I'm obviously not thrilled about it. I'm someone and we're a team that prides itself on just playing hard and playing the right way and doing the right things. That was a situation where I didn't do it."

A clearly frustrated Torey Lovullo tried to express understanding for the mistake at the same time. "It's clear, Corbin is a hustler and a gamer...he would never ever not run for any other reason than thinking it's foul. We talk about things like that, don't even put it in the umpires hands...run until it is foul...so

There were other moments where the game got away from the Diamondbacks. Brandon Pfaadt pitched well all things considered, giving up just one run through the first four innings. He walked the number eight hitter James Outman to start the fifth r and then Nick Ahmed failed to turn a double play on a tough chance, throwing the ball away after getting the out at second. That was costly as Mookie Betts put a long at bat on Pfaadt before doubling a run home, and Freddie Freeman double home Betts. He would later score on a sacrifice fly that ended Pfaadt's outing. He pitched better than his final line showed, (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4ER, 2BB, 5K).

The offense was quiet most of the night, as Julio Urias shut down the D-backs once again. Coming into the game with an 8-1 record and 1.55 ERA in 12 starts against Arizona, he hurled six scoreless innings to get the win.

Former Diamondback and fan favorite David Peralta made a big play in the bottom of the fifth. With the D-backs trailing 4-0, Ahmed singled and then Kelly drove a ball to the wall in left. Peralta made a leaping catch above the yellow line to rob Kelly of a two-run homer and rob any midgame momentum the D-backs could muster. It was hard not to read more into the knife turning moment, as some on Twitter opined.

That last play by Peralta epitomizes what's happened to the Dodgers and #Dbacks for the last 10 years.
— Michael McDermott (@MichaelMcD8393) August 9, 2023

The D-backs finally rallied for two runs in the 8th inning against relievers Alex Vesia and Brustar Graterol. Tommy Pham and Christian Walker each had RBI base hits in the inning. That closed the gap to 4-2, but Miguel Castro came in to pitch the top of the 9th and gave up a key run by walking Outman with one out. In fairness, ball four looked like a strike on the strike zone box. Outman would later steal second and score on a single from Betts.

The D-backs scored two more in the bottom of the 9th before Carroll's game-ending double play. Alek Thomas had a pinch hit RBI triple, scoring Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte then singled home Thomas.

Lovullo conceded that the team was flat earlier in the game. "We closed up the gap there in the 8th and 9th inning and there was a certain energy inside of our dugout, a certain focus. I'm looking for that for nine innings...we're not good enough to play two of nine, we've gotta play nine of nine and lock it in.

The D-backs are now 10 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, all but sealing their fate as a wild card hopeful at best. Their record is an even .500 at 57-57 and they're two games out of the final wild card slot, with three teams in front of them.

They'll try again tomorrow at 6:40 P.M. at Chase Field, when Bobby Miller will start for the Dodgers against Merrill Kelly for the D-backs.