Diamondbacks erase 7-run deficit with 9-run inning, still lose to Rockies

When the Colorado Rockies took an 8-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night at Chase Field, ESPN’s win probability had Colorado at a 98.6%.

Half an inning later, the D-backs swung that all the way to 73.0% in their favor after nine runs in the top of the fifth to somehow lead 10-8. That felt like a gigantic momentum swing that the Rockies couldn’t overcome but Arizona’s bullpen gave up a run in the sixth and seventh inning to tie the game before Colorado walked it off in the ninth inning for a 13-10 win.

Kevin Ginkel’s earned run for the sixth inning and Reyes Moronta’s in the seventh set the stage for Caleb Smith to pick up the 34th loss for the D-backs relievers, the most in the majors.

Smith, who threw a scoreless eighth inning, had two outs with no runners on but gave up a walk and a single before Rockies catcher Elias Diaz hit a three-run homer.

It’s a gutting loss for the D-backs after all nine players in the batting order reached base and scored in the fifth inning.

Rookie Corbin Carroll led off that inning with a solo homer, the second of his career.

.@corbin_carroll goes yard in back to back games. pic.twitter.com/HLYsMTotI7

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) September 10, 2022

After that, the bases were loaded with no outs following a Carson Kelly walk, Alek Thomas single and Geraldo Perdomo being hit by a pitch.

The D-backs’ next three at-bats produced four runs: A fielding error on a Josh Rojas grounder that scored Kelly, a walk for Ketel Marte and a two-RBI single via Jake McCarthy.

Jake McCarthy cuts the lead down to two! pic.twitter.com/EavOSBlxDc

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) September 10, 2022

With two runners on, still nobody out and the deficit down to just two runs, Christian Walker singled to load the bases again.

Daulton Varsho would only need one at-bat to produce the next four runs, as he smashed a first-pitch slider just over the wall in right-center field for the first grand slam of his career and a miraculous 10-8 lead.

#TheVarShow hits his first GRAND SLAM and we have taken the lead in Colorado! pic.twitter.com/2y73QQY0vP

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) September 10, 2022

The homer for Varsho is the latest in a power surge of a September. The 26-year-old has hit a long ball in five of his last six games, including now in three straight fixtures. Varsho’s season total is now up to 24, second on the team to Walker’s 32.

Rockies starter German Marquez, the team’s ace, let all nine runners on before getting pulled prior to Varsho’s grand slam. That put all nine runs on his record, with one unearned thanks to the throwing error.

The D-backs’ Zach Davies was unable to get out of the fourth inning after three of the Rockies’ five runs in that inning came off him. His line ended at six earned runs on seven hits and three walks in 3.2 innings.

Arizona reliever Kenyan Middleton got that final out in the fourth but not before giving up two earned runs. Those came via Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron on a two-run dinger that traveled 504 feet, the longest homer in the majors this year.

C.J. Cron LITERALLY hit the ball out of the ballpark 💥

(via @ATTSportsNetRM)pic.twitter.com/wYNDh1hsiP

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 10, 2022

Middleton’s two earned runs made it seven total for the D-backs bullpen on the night.

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