For the second time in their history, the Arizona Diamondbacks have secured a ticket to the World Series. The team observers have never seen go this far defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in the deciding game of the National League Finals on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
The home team’s problems in the championship series continued. The D-Backs forced Game 7 the day before with a 5-1 victory, and this time the Phillies were no more thrilled, even though they took the lead.
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By the fifth inning, Arizona was in the driver’s seat. Corbin Carroll’s paying single was doubly important because he himself crossed the plate on the hit of the next batter, Gabriel Moreno.
Ranger Suarez was automatically on the mound in the first seventh game in Phillies history. The left-hander allowed three runs on six hits in four and two-thirds innings.
Reliever Jose Alvarado allowed the fourth inning, allowing Ketel Marte to hit safety for the 16th straight game, a major league record for a player in his first postseason. It was Corbin Carroll who secured the fourth and final point for the Diamondbacks with a sacrifice fly.
In 2001, the D-Backs won the World Series. They defeated the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves, then the New York Yankees in seven games in the Grand Final. It was the heyday of pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling on the team.
The Diamondbacks appear destined to follow in the footsteps of the 2006 Cardinals, who won just 83 games in the regular season before capturing the World Series. Torey Lovullo’s squad won awards 84 times in 2023.
Only the Texas Rangers, the American League champions, stand between them and the ultimate goal. This crucial series begins Friday at Globe Life Field in Arlington.