The Good, Bad and Ugly From D-backs' Crucial Series Win over Phillies

The Arizona Diamondbacks, with their backs against the wall, delivered a series win over the Philadelphia Phillies — earning a series win they absolutely had to have.

As unlikely as a playoff run may seem, the D-backs have done nearly everything possible to try and claw their way back into the final Wild Card berth. They sit just 1.0 games out, although they do now trail both the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets.

Still, one can't ask for much more than series wins against some of the toughest teams in baseball. Below is the good, bad and ugly from a huge series win over the Phillies:

Diamondbacks vs Phillies: The Good

Ketel Marte Heats Up

The Diamondbacks were in dire need of some contributions from their All-Star second baseman, but he'd been mired in a deep slump for some times.

But in this series, Marte was simply outstanding. He had a three-hit game (including his first homer since September 2) in game one and a two-hit day in game two.

In total, Marte was 6-for-13 in the series with two doubles, the homer and four RBI. He had 11 total bases and scored three runs.

The D-backs need their superstar to start making noise again, and this series was an excellent showing by the All-Star.

Corbin Carroll's Milestone

On Sunday, Corbin Carroll became the first D-back to record 30 home runs and 30 steals, stealing his 30th base off left-hander Ranger Suárez (off whom he also hit a three-run blast).

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Carroll joins an elite list of MLB players and continues to assert himself as one of the best young stars in the game. After a rough 2024, Carroll has been elite at the plate in 2025, continuing to help drive Arizona's offense.

Excellent Starting Pitching

With a battered bullpen, Arizona needs as much length as possible from their starters, and they got it.

Ryne Nelson had an "off" night in game one, but still threw five innings of two-run baseball.

Zac Gallen (battling an illness) struck out nine over seven innings in game two and got the win, while Eduardo Rodriguez bounced back with a six-inning shutout in game three.

Arizona's starting pitchers combined to throw 18 innings, giving up 15 hits, seven walks and five earned runs. They struck out 15 and combined to go 2-0 over three games. The D-backs needed that, especially from Gallen and Rodriguez.

Diamondbacks vs Phillies: The Bad

RISP Hitting

The D-backs struggled to come away with hits when facing runners in scoring position. They went a collective 4-for-19 (.210) with RISP in games one and two.

Although they were able to put together enough of an inning in game two to win, plating those runners still proved difficult. Even in game three, Arizona was 4-for-13 in that situation — a .307 clip, but still not an ideal number with that many opportunities.

Game one was the real killer, as the D-backs were hitless in six at-bats with RISP.

Diamondbacks vs Phillies: The Ugly

Game One Bullpen Blowup

The only real poor showing from the D-backs in this series came in the form of a bullpen blowup in game one. After Nelson pitched just five innings, Arizona's bullpen combined to give up eight hits in four innings, allowing the Phillies to turn a 2-2 game into an 8-2 win.

Most of those runs were given to right-hander Jake Woodford, who gave up five (four earned) on four hits and two walks in just two innings of work. Woodford was designated for assignment two days later.

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Otherwise, the D-backs' bullpen pitched relatively well. They held onto a thin 4-3 lead in game two and took care of business in a blowout win Sunday.

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