Eight Scoreless Innings Blew Up, and Arizona Nearly Fumbled a Much-Needed Win in St. Louis
Holy smokes, did you catch the end of that D-backs vs. Cardinals game last night? Seriously, if you blinked, you missed a whole game's worth of drama packed into one insane ninth inning! Arizona snagged a 4-3 win against St. Louis, but man, they made us sweat. It was scoreless for eight whole innings, then the Diamondbacks dropped four runs, only to almost watch the whole thing slip away. Talk about a heart attack waiting to happen!
Arenado Ignites the Fuse After a Pitching Masterclass
For the longest time, it felt like neither team was ever going to score. Both starting pitchers, Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez and St. Louis’s Kyle Leahy, were absolutely dealing, each only giving up three hits through more than six innings. Leahy even had a moment in the bottom of the third when Pedro Pages got on base for the Cardinals' first baserunner, but they couldn't convert. St. Louis threatened big in the sixth too, with Ivan Herrera extending his on-base streak to 19 games with a walk, followed by a Jordan Walker single and Lars Nootbaar walk to load the bases. But then, Nelson Velazquez flew out to Geraldo Perdomo, who made a sick double play to the plate, getting Herrera out and leaving everyone stranded. We were all wondering when someone, anyone, would break the ice.
Trade on Every Game with Kalshi
Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.
Then came the ninth, and BOOM! It was like a dam burst. Arizona finally got to Cardinals reliever Matt Svanson (2-2). Gabriel Moreno smacked a single, Pavin Smith walked and was swapped for pinch runner Ildemaro Vargas. And then, the former Cardinal, Nolan Arenado, stepped up and laced a double to left, bringing Moreno home and giving Arizona the lead! Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed that up with a single, scoring both Vargas and Arenado, making it 3-0. And just for good measure, Jorge Barrosa, pinch-running for Gurriel, scored on a passed ball by catcher Jimmy Crooks. Four runs in the ninth after eight frames of nothing? Wild!
A Nerve-Wracking Finish That Almost Went Sideways
But hold up, because this game was far from over. The Cardinals weren't going down without a fight, and Arizona closer Paul Sewald suddenly found himself in a jam. With two guys on and one out, Alec Burleson crushed a double to right, scoring Lars Nootbaar and cutting the lead to 4-1. Then Blaze Jordan hit a sacrifice fly, making it 4-2. And just like that, Jimmy Crooks singled, driving in Burleson and bringing St. Louis within a single run! My blood pressure was through the roof! Thankfully, Brandyn Garcia came in for Sewald and struck out JJ Wetherholt to finally, mercifully, end the game. Kevin Ginkel (3-2), who handled the eighth inning perfectly, actually nabbed the win for Arizona. It was a chaotic way to break a three-game losing streak, but hey, a win is a win!
What a rollercoaster, right? Here in the Emerald City, we're always looking for that kind of grit from our teams. Speaking of, our Seattle Mariners just notched a solid 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates today, keeping that momentum rolling! Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez are doing their thing, and we're ready for more. Go M's!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.