Josh Naylor's walk-off grand slam lifts the D-backs over the Mariners 8-4 on June 10 after closer Justin Martinez's injury led to a blown save. Recap the wild finish.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
What a difference an inning makes. Diamondbacks fans went from the cusp of a tidy 4-0 victory to the depths of despair, and back to sheer pandemonium in the span of about an hour on Tuesday night. In a game that had everything, it was Josh Naylor who played the ultimate hero, launching a walk-off grand slam in the 11th inning to give Arizona a much-needed, if heart-stopping, 8-4 win over the Seattle Mariners.
One swing of the bat from Josh Naylor, and a night of anxiety, a blown lead, and a terrifying injury turned into pure elation.
It was all going according to plan. Merrill Kelly was masterful, tossing six shutout innings, and the offense, sparked by a Corbin Carroll leadoff bomb, had built a comfortable 4-0 lead. Closer Justin Martinez came on in the ninth, needing just three outs to seal it. He got two quickly, striking out Jorge Polanco and Randy Arozarena. Then, disaster struck. After walking Dylan Moore, Martinez winced after a pitch, called for the trainer, and was immediately removed with what the team is calling elbow tightness. The air went out of Chase Field, and the lead soon followed. Jeff Brigham couldn't stop the bleeding, allowing four runs as the Mariners stunningly tied the game.
Before the late-game drama, it was Seattle native Corbin Carroll putting on a show. He ambushed the first pitch of the game for his 19th home run, a powerful statement against his hometown team. But his biggest contribution may have come in the top of the 11th, when he made a spectacular sliding catch on a Donovan Solano blooper to prevent the go-ahead run from scoring. That set the stage for Josh Naylor. After the D-backs loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame, Naylor, who finished with three hits and five RBIs, crushed the ball for a walk-off grand slam, sending the crowd into a frenzy and snapping a frustrating three-game losing streak.
While the walk-off celebration was sweet, the reality of the bullpen situation is sobering. The potential loss of Martinez for any length of time is a massive blow, and it comes on the heels of another key arm hitting the shelf. Earlier in the day, the team placed veteran reliever Kendall Graveman on the 15-day IL (retroactive to June 7), calling up Christian Montes De Oca from Reno. With two of their most important late-inning relievers now sidelined, the Diamondbacks' bullpen depth will be severely tested. The joy of Tuesday's win is tempered by the uncertainty of who will be closing out games in the near future.
The Diamondbacks desperately needed this win to snap their skid, and they got it in the most memorable way possible. But the celebration will be short-lived as all eyes turn to the MRI results for Justin Martinez. The team will look to carry the emotional high into Wednesday's game, with Brandon Pfaadt (7-4, 5.51 ERA) taking the mound against Seattle's tough righty Bryan Woo. Can the D-backs build on this momentum, or will their bullpen woes become the dominant storyline?
