They just needed to force Paul Skenes out of the game.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Overcoming a 4-0 deficit, the Arizona Diamondbacks scored six late runs to defeat the Pirates 6-5, securing their sixth straight series win. The Diamondbacks haven’t lost a series since June 27th against the Twins.
With Ryne Nelson starting on the mound for Arizona, the Pirates struck early with four runs in the first two innings. After a pair of walks began the 2nd inning, Grandal doubled, and then Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, whom the Pirates acquired at the trade deadline, tripled to make it 4-0. Nelson managed to escape further damage by inducing a double play with runners on the corners to end the inning.
While Nelson recorded seven strikeouts during his five innings of work, he allowed four earned runs on six hits and two walks.
Arizona’s offense didn’t awaken until the 6th inning. With Paul Skenes still in the game, Corbin Carroll led off with a triple, the first Skenes had allowed in his career. Ketel Marte then drove Carroll in on a groundout to get the Diamondbacks on the board.
In the 7th, with Skenes out of the game, the Diamondbacks drew a pair of walks, setting up an opportunity with two outs. Unlike the previous game, where they went 1-8 with runners in scoring position, Joc Pederson delivered, driving an opposite-field three-run home run to give the Diamondbacks a 5-4 lead.
Ketel Marte padded Arizona’s lead with a solo shot in the 8th, making a strong case for his inclusion in the National League MVP discussion, having hit eight home runs since July 22nd.
Dylan Floro, in his second appearance with the Diamondbacks, needed just eight pitches to toss a 1-2-3 bottom of the 8th, setting the stage for Ryan Thompson to close the door in the 9th.
However, Thompson, substituting for Paul Sewald as the D-backs’ new primary closer, ran into trouble. Three of the four batters Thompson faced reached base, with one scoring. As a result, the Diamondbacks turned to newly acquired A.J. Puk with runners on the corners, a narrow one-run lead, and one out in the 9th. Puk’s first task was to get past Oneil Cruz, who had gone 5-5 in the series opener. After falling behind 3-0 against Cruz, Puk ended up striking him out in an at-bat that lasted 12 pitches and consisted of five foul balls.
To end the game, Bryan De La Cruz flew out to right field.
The Diamondbacks will now travel to Cleveland to take on the Guardians for a three-game series starting on Monday. The Guardians have won six of their last seven games and currently hold the best record in baseball
