PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks didn’t just roll past the Rangers on Friday night. They also carved out a little place in the record book while keeping themselves right in the thick of the NL Wild Card race.
Arizona’s 9-1 win at Chase Field carried some real weight beyond the scoreboard, especially with the Padres still in the mix for that final playoff spot. The Diamondbacks entered the night a half-game back of San Diego, and when their game wrapped up, they had at least avoided losing any ground. San Diego was leading the Giants in San Francisco at that point, but Arizona did what it needed to do.
The loudest moment of the night belonged to Juan Martinez, who delivered the kind of inning pitchers dream about and hitters dread. In the sixth, he struck out Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Jake Burger on nine pitches for the fourth immaculate inning in the majors this season. It was also the second immaculate inning by a Diamondbacks pitcher this year, with Michael Soroka having pulled off the same feat earlier in the season.
An immaculate inning means exactly what it sounds like: three strikeouts, nine pitches, no wasted motion.
Corbin Carroll also made his presence felt after returning to the lineup. He had gone through an MRI on his lower back, and the scan showed no structural issues. Back in action, Carroll launched a two-run homer in the sixth, his 20th of the season.
That homer put him into a very small club. It marked the 10th time a player has finished a season with at least 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 15 triples.
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Jones is the kind of prospect who can change the tone around a system because his value does not hinge on one tool. The defense has already earned him attention, but the broader story for Arizona is that he is still developing, still producing and still giving the organization a young player worth building around. For a fan base always looking for the next wave, Jones is making it easier to believe the wave is coming. [Read more 🡒]
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Even with the bats waking up, the night still carried some uneasy moments for Arizona. Merrill Kelly was pulled after 4.1 innings, and the club had to sort through a bullpen outing that quickly turned unusual in a game that was already swinging hard in its favor. Justin Martinez authored a rare piece of franchise history in the middle of it all, a reminder that this team can still find some juice in unexpected places while it tries to steady itself. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Turn To A Familiar Bat With Wild Card Pressure Rising
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To make the move, Arizona also created room on the 40-man roster by recalling Tyler Locklear and moving him to the 60-day injured list after a fractured thumb. The roster shuffle underscores how every available spot matters this time of year, and the Diamondbacks are clearly leaning on a player they know well as they try to keep pace in the playoff hunt. [Read more 🡒]