After a lengthy playoff drought, the Arizona Diamondbacks finally clinched a postseason victory, marking their first since 2017 as they outlasted the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the Wild Card round, concluding with a final score of 6-3.
The game started with rookie right-handed pitcher Brandon Pfaadt on the mound, but the Brewers swiftly took control with a 3-0 lead, backed by seven hits that forced Pfaadt out of the game by the 3rd inning.
Among those hits was a two-run homer off the bat of Tyrone Taylor.
However, the Diamondbacks, true to their form all season, responded promptly on the offensive front.
The comeback ignited with a spectacular two-run home run by Corbin Carroll, making him the youngest player in Diamondbacks hit a postseason homer.
In a remarkable turn of events, Ketel Marte followed with a home run on the very next pitch, leveling the score at three apiece.
Then, Gabriel Moreno launched a ball into the left-field bleachers, granting the Diamondbacks their first lead of the night.
This would be the final scoring up from either side until the 9th inning.
With both teams going to their bullpens a bit earlier than they would have liked, it became a back-and-forth challenge to see who can leave the most runners on base.
Evan Longoria, the 37-year-old third baseman for the Diamondbacks, made a couple of remarkable plays that appeared to save three runs
In the bottom of the 5th, amidst the Brewers starting the inning with three consecutive singles, Longoria thwarted a potential base hit and transformed it into a double play, extricating the Diamondbacks out of a massive jam.
Although the Brewers outhit the Diamondbacks 12-9, they left 10 runners stranded, which proved costly.
Overall, the D-backs utilized six different relievers who admirably kept them in the game.
Kevin Ginkel, one of the Diamondbacks more dependable arms out of the bullpen, struck out four batters in the 7th & 8th innings which allowed the Diamondbacks to tack on some much-needed insurance runs.
With two outs in the 9th inning and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Christian Walker came through with a double off the wall, extending the D-backs’ lead to 6-3
It was Walker’s third hit of the night.
While the Diamondbacks had to tap into their bullpen depth to secure the win, they now have their top two pitchers, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, lined up for the next two games.
The Diamondbacks can advance to the NLDS with a win tomorrow, first pitch is scheduled for 4:08 PM.
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