Resurgence of the Answerbacks as D-backs Walk Off Nationals 9-8

The Arizona Diamondbacks came back from down six runs multiple times and score five runs in 9th inning to walk off Nationals with Corbin Carroll's Big Home Run.

Jul 29, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (7) celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk off home run in the ninth inning to beat the Washington Nationals at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Monday night against the Washington Nationals, the Arizona Diamondbacks might've recorded their best win of the year. They were down 6-0 and 8-2 at two different points in the game yet won on a walk-off homer by Corbin Carroll 9-8.

The D-backs scored seven runs in the final 2 1/3 innings to win the game. They scored once each in the 7th and 8th innings before exploding for five runs in the 9th inning against Nationals closer and top trade candidate Kyle Finnegan.

The 9th inning was a thing of beauty as Alek Thomas led it off with a triple. Geraldo Perdomo singled him home. Ketel Marte came up and hit a laser of a homer just over the right-field fence to make it 8-7. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed up a batter later with a 9-pitch single. Corbin Carroll pinch-hit for Kevin Newman and on the second pitch, hit a rocket, 109.5 MPH exit velo, to the RF bleachers to win the game.

The D-backs battled back against multiple relievers of the Nationals and had their biggest comeback victories of the season. It was their sixth walk-off win of the 2024 season. Corbin Carroll recorded his third career walk-off hit and first career walk-off homer and his first career pinch-hit homer.

"That was a character win. That was a team that played with heart and determination and a lot of will. The first couple of innings were very difficult but they just kept chipping away. You walk out and you're facing an all-star closer and you still don't believe that's the end. This team is hungry. It's awesome to watch. It was an awesome moment in the dugout."

Despite Corbin Carroll's struggles this year, he had a season changing hit and highlight reel moment. This gave a lot of joy to Lovullo.

"I think for a young player that's walking through the type of year that he is, there's so many ups and downs and he's trying to manage that and I know he's a team player and when he's not performing to the standard that he has set, I know that it bothers him but him running around the bases and I got a chance to watch him smile as he was doing it was pretty awesome."

The first inning was a disaster akin to a dust storm taking over Phoenix as Jordan Montgomery faced a barrage of line drives and hard hits. In the first inning, Montgomery faced eight batters, recorded a strikeout, and gave up five hits, a walk, and a three-run homer.

He was lucky that it ended when it did thanks to Jacob Young getting picked off and caught stealing second base that was initially ruled safe but got overturned thanks to a D-backs challenge. It was a rough first inning that highlighted the team's need for reliable starting pitching.

He managed to make it three more innings, but gave up another run, five hits, and two walks. In total, over four innings, Montgomery allowed nine hits, six runs, three walks, and a strikeout to go with a homer.

Perhaps the worst news is that Christian Walker left the game after the third inning due to left oblique tightness. It isn't the right side which is what he hurt in 2021 that sapped his power. It remains to be seen if this is a long-term injury or if they caught it in time. It's unlikely he will be in the lineup tomorrow.

Lovullo spoke on the injury, "It's not minimal. He's going to get some imaging tomorrow. He's a very tough player and I blame myself in a lot of different ways because I ask him to go out there every day. He's only had 18, maybe 24 innings off this year. That's on me. I got to be a little bit better managing him...Hopefully we get real good results tomorrow in the morning."

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Miguel Castro covered two innings for the bullpen but showed decreased velocity averaging 92.8 on his fastball. He gave up five hits, two runs, and walked two as he struggled with command and missing bats.

Slade Cecconi was strong in his debut out of the bullpen pitching two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and reaching 97+ multiple times. Joe Mantiply got his fifth win and pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

Every starter of the Arizona Diamondbacks reached base aside from Christian Walker and Jake McCarthy. Geraldo Perdomo had two RBI, Ketel Marte had three RBIs and three hits, and Kevin Newman had two hits in replacement of Walker.

"We sold out to do everything we can to win the game. Like I said Marte had the three hits, Gurriel the two hits...Ketel Marte continues to emerge as one of the best players in the National League. I hope he gets some very strong MVP consideration. He's on an unbelievable path and he's just barreling up the baseball."

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