Corbin Carroll’s walk-off home run proves Diamondbacks’ fighting spirit still alive

PHOENIX — Corbin Carroll, a struggling and banged up superstar, launched a walk-off home run for the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team clawing to stay alive in the postseason chase, on Monday to earn what the team hopes will be a galvanizing 8-7 win over the Miami Marlins.

Carroll’s blast came at a precarious moment for the Diamondbacks, who had trailed 7-4, faced a potential three-game losing streak and the risk of falling behind the San Diego Padres by 3.5 games for the final National League Wild Card spot.

CORBIN CARROLL WALK-OFF 2-RUN HOMER! pic.twitter.com/VnTASMNpXA

— MLB (@MLB) September 15, 2026

Jordan Lawlar provided a lifeline in the eighth inning. He hit a two-run home run to cut Miami’s lead to 7-6. It was the same score Arizona lost by on Sunday against the Texas Rangers, when a potential game-tying home run from Lawlar in the ninth inning banged off the wall for a double.

This time, the D-backs gave themselves another shot in the ninth inning when Gabriel Moreno led off with a walk, and Miami’s plans changed when closer Pete Fairbanks walked off with the athletic trainer. Jackson Ralston entered his 11th career major league game and his first save opportunity.

After a Geraldo Perdomo sacrifice bunt, Ralston hung a splitter over the middle to Carroll, who unloaded a 423-foot shot down the right-field line.

Perdomo nailed Carroll with the Gatorade bath as he rounded third base, and Carroll’s neck was still red in the clubhouse from the ice.

“He got me pretty good,” Carroll said.

The Diamondbacks have a league-leading 45 comeback wins and nine walk-off wins this season, fifth in MLB.

That was the fifth career walk-off hit for Carroll and second walk-off home run. In 2024, Carroll smashed a walk-off home run at the end of July. It had been a brutal season for the 2023 NL Rookie of Year, but from that point on, he was dominant. And the team won up until the final week of the season.

Could this be another launching point?

“I hope so,” Carroll said. “I think there’s a lot of motivation in this clubhouse. I think we all want to play in the playoffs, so I think this just adds to that hunger.”

“It felt good,” he added. “Obviously, I want to contribute as much as I can, and that felt like contributing, so I think that piece of it I can take pride in that.”

Carroll simply said “good” when asked about his back, which had kept him out of the lineup last week in Kansas City.

This has been a difficult stretch, as Carroll had been hitting .143 over 13 games before the home run. He had homered on Friday, an opposite-field shot against a left-hander, adding to his reverse splits this year.

He has missed some hittable pitches lately, particularly fastballs, so to take advantage in that moment — especially against a right-hander — was promising.

“That felt better, honestly,” Carroll said. “I think when that pull side opens up for me — it’s been a while since I pulled something hard in the air, so that was a good sign.”

 

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Starting pitcher Corbin Burnes was in the clubhouse when the victory music played at Chase Field. He already watched the Padres defeat the Colorado Rockies for their eighth consecutive victory — the Diamondbacks have not won eight straight games since the 2017 season.

Burnes recalled bullpen coach Wellington Cepeda’s message when he got back in the clubhouse.

“It really doesn’t matter what they do, we’ve got to keep winning baseball games,” Burnes said. “I think (Cepeda) came by and said if we win every game, we’re in. … As long as we can get within three, we’ve got a chance to get in.”

The Diamondbacks (80-71) will enter play on Tuesday 2.5 games behind the Padres for the third Wild Card spot and 3.5 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for the second spot.

Their season series against San Diego comes down to their final three games at Petco Park. Staying within three games of the Padres is imperative, which added stakes to the win on Monday.

“I think every game is a four-alarm fire, and when you’re getting beat the way we were, it’s painful,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “But they kept fighting.”

Arizona’s 80 wins matches their output from last season with 11 contests to play.

How did Corbin Burnes do back at Chase Field?

Burnes continues to operate not at full capacity when it comes to stuff and pitch count, as Monday was his first home start at Chase Field since June 1, 2025, before elbow surgery.

He got up to 75 pitches and drew 14 whiffs in 4.2 innings, which are good signs. But the Marlins made him pay for some hittable pitches over the plate. Jakob Marsee and Javier Sanoja hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning.

Burnes allowed five earned runs in a start for the first time as a member of the Diamondbacks (13 starts). He did not walk anyone and struck out four.

His cutter averaged 92.5 mph, down from 94.1 mph last season before he underwent surgery. He threw several over 94 mph, but those balanced with 90-91 mph cutters.

Despite the shakier results than his season debut (3 IP, 0 ER), Burnes felt like Monday was a step forward. He has much better control of his breaking balls and offspeed pitches, but cutter execution will need ironing out.

“It’s all about the cutter command,” Burnes said. “It was hit-and-miss. … So just got to get more consistent with that.”

Burnes fought to get back on the mound before the end of this season, and it is very difficult to get back to full strength without spring training or a typical ramp-up time.

That’s the give-and-take with getting a star pitcher back from a significant injury this late in the season, especially one who suffered a setback earlier this year.

“Everything’s under a microscope, right?” Burnes said. “Usually you get five, six outings in spring training to work through some stuff and build that intensity for Opening Day. But when you come back in the middle of September, everything’s got to be sharp and crisp. … The ingredients are there.”

Corbin Burnes breaks down his start and shares where he watched the walk-off.

Burnes felt better about his offspeed pitches today, but the cutter command was not as sharp as he wanted. pic.twitter.com/ZGZAkOZbPY

— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) September 15, 2026

Other Diamondbacks standouts

Outfielder Lars Nootbaar is swinging a hot bat.

Nootbaar hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the third inning and finished with three hits, heating up at the right time for a lineup that needs help against right-handed pitching.

Nootbaar hit .170 over his first 17 games with Arizona, adding even more angst after the club’s disappointingly quiet trade deadline.

Over his last 15 games, Nootbaar is batting .417 with three home runs and 10 RBIs.

“It’s been fun watching him find his footing,” Carroll said. “Obviously scuffling a little bit before getting here, and just seeing him at the plate right now, it’s a fun operation to watch.”

Out of the bullpen, Kevin Ginkel had trouble with two earned runs, but Justin Martinez and Juan Morillo danced around traffic to keep the Marlins’ lead at three late in the ballgame.

Arizona won a game in which it allowed 12 hits. It had been 6-24 in such games entering Monday.

Pesky Padres

Every Padres win lately has felt like a repeat of the last: The Padres take a big lead and survive a late scare. Here are their last four games:

• Led 7-1, won 7-5 vs. Giants
• Led 7-3, won 7-6 vs. Giants
• Led 6-2, won 6-4 vs. Giants
• Led 6-1, won 8-7 vs. Rockies

Seven of their eight wins have been by one or two runs, as they keep finding ways to win tight games against lesser competition.

The Diamondbacks were great against the Rockies and Giants in the first half, but a 3-4 record against the two teams over their last seven games has been costly.

Arizona needs to build off an emotional win with very little room for a letdown on Tuesday.

Monday attendance

19,434

Tuesday starters

RHP Michael Soroka (8-5, 3.53) vs. RHP Janson Junk (6-9, 4.54)

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