Diamondbacks’ Ryan Waldschmidt walks off Dodgers in thrilling opener at Chase Field

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks rookie center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt blasted a walk-off, two-run home run off Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz on Friday night in front of a packed Chase Field.

Waldschmidt crushed a hanging slider 411 feet to left-center field, just getting over the wall left of the overhang for a 4-3 victory.

WALDSTAR pic.twitter.com/PP14N8tp5R

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 8, 2026

The Diamondbacks had blown a 2-0 lead, as Andy Pages hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning to put the Dodgers ahead for the first time. Nolan Arenado struck out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning in what felt like the final straw.

But a lead-off walk from Max Kepler put some pressure on Diaz, and Waldschmidt took advantage of an opportunity for the most electric moment of his young career.

That was Waldschmidt’s second career home run.

This was also the second straight game between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers played at Chase Field that ended with a walk-off home run, as Ketel Marte went deep to win a June 4 matchup between the two.

The D-backs have won five straight contests against Los Angeles. The Dodgers have lost seven straight games overall.

Merrill Kelly puts Diamondbacks on right path

Starting pitcher Merrill Kelly offered the Diamondbacks an early runway to get out front.

Kelly held the Dodgers hitless through the first five innings of this game.

He induced a first-pitch pop-up from Shohei Ohtani to lead off the ballgame and set the tone, while his changeup was filthy (five whiffs on 11 swings).

Corbin Carroll kept the Dodgers off the board early with a jaw-dropping home run robbery, perfectly timed to take one away from Tommy Edman. Even with a split crowd between D-backs and Dodgers fans, Chase Field was at its loudest point when the replay showed Carroll soar to make the catch, before the walk-off.

An Arenado solo home run and Geraldo Perdomo RBI triple gave Kelly a 2-0 lead to work with.

The Dodgers broke up the no-hit bid with a lead-off infield single in the sixth inning, and at that point, Kelly started to lose the strike zone. After a pick-off and a single, Kelly walked back-to-back hitters to load the bases.

Following an RBI fielder’s choice, he signaled to the dugout for the trainer and swiftly left the field. He remained in the dugout through the end of the inning, and the team said he left with a right leg cramp. It is the first time this year Kelly left with a cramp, which has been a recurring issue in the past.

He finished with 5.2 innings pitched and one earned run on two hits and four walks.

Friday attendance

46,172

Saturday’s Diamondbacks-Dodgers starters

Brandon Pfaadt (3.66 ERA) gets the ball in the second game of the series. The D-backs are 7-0 in his last seven starts. The Dodgers will start All-Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.76 ERA).

First pitch is at 5:10 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

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