Corbin Carroll showed his all-around value in the Diamondbacks’ 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Carroll collected two hits, homered, scored twice, and made a game-saving grab in the sixth. With the tying runs in scoring position, he closed off the right-center gap on a well-struck ball to get Arizona out of the inning.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!While it may be too late for Carroll to rescue his season numbers, he has been on a tear and actively contributing to wins. He’s reached base in each of his past 30 starts, with the Diamondbacks winning 24 of those games. He’s crushed 12 home runs since July 7 and has pushed his season OPS up to .707. He’s scored the second most runs in the National League. As usual, the superstar outfielder was quick to praise his teammates for driving him in.
“It’s a product of my hard work, but it is just as much a result of my teammates,” said Carroll in a postgame interview with Jody Jackson on Dbacks TV. “This whole year, having Ketel [Marte] hit behind me, having [Christian] Walk[er], having Gurriel, all these guys, they’ve been the ones driving me in. Just have to give a lot of credit to him.”
The support from Carroll helped Eduardo Rodríguez pick up his second win of the year. It was a typical outing for the veteran left-hander, using his four-seamer, cutter, and changeup to keep the Marlins’ right-handed heavy lineup off-balance. Of his 100 pitches, those three pitches accounted for 96 of them. Rodríguez allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings on six hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.
“The life on his fastball looked like it had good carry to it,” manager Torey Lovullo told Jackson in the postgame breakdown. “I was looking at the radar guns here internally in the stadium, and seemed like it was a lot more fastball than that, so I know he know he’s finishing his pitches.”
While Rodríguez looked solid for four innings, the left-hander began to tire. The Marlins scratched out a run in the fifth on a two-out single from Xavier Edwards, then got to him in the sixth. Jonah Bride walked to lead off the inning, then Derek Hill chased Jake McCarthy to the track in center field for the first out. A double by Connor Norby chased Rodríguez from the game, putting the tying runs in scoring position.
Ryan Thompson was summoned out of the bullpen. He got Otto Lopez to pop out to shortstop then jumped ahead of pinch-hitter Jesús Sánchez. Thompson left a fastball at the top of the strike zone and Sánchez clobbered it but Carroll quickly closed the right-center gap to deny the Marlins a run in their best scoring chance of the night.
Sorry Marlins, but the right center gap is closed courtesy of Corbin Carroll. pic.twitter.com/NwxG8zwu06
— Burn City D-backs Talk????️ (@BurnCityDbacks) August 21, 2024
“Sanchez put a good swing on that ball, to be able to come out with an out as the result, that’s huge right there,” said Carroll.
The Diamondbacks struck early against Edward Cabrera. Carroll smoked a line drive to left field to start the game, then advanced to second on a balk. Joc Pederson took advantage of the situation, single through the middle of the infield to put Arizona on the board. Corbin Carroll and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added solo home runs.
Corbin Carroll hits one to the club in LCF to double the #Dbacks lead. pic.twitter.com/5Jwx4OBhr0
— Burn City D-backs Talk????️ (@BurnCityDbacks) August 21, 2024
A.J. Puk, facing his former team for the first time, got five big outs to send the game to the ninth inning. Justin Martinez got the save opportunity and looked excellent with two groundouts and a strikeout. While it took a replay challenge to get the final out, Kevin Newman made a great play on a high chopper and got it to Pavin Smith in time.
The Diamondbacks will go for the series sweep of the Marlins, with left-hander Jordan Montgomery (8-6, 6.25 ERA) coming off one of his best starts of the year. He’ll be opposed by right-hander Roddery Muñoz (2-7, 5.88 ERA). First pitch at loanDepot Park will be at 3:40 P.M. MST.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
