D-backs walk it off vs. Phillies to take Game 3 of NLCS

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks made it a series for the NLCS after a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 3, a 2-1 thriller over the Philadelphia Phillies.

The D-backs now trail 2-1 in the National League Championship Series.

With the bases loaded and one out, Ketel Marte singled to right-center field off Philadelphia closer Craig Kimbrel for the victory.

WALK US OFF KETEL!!! pic.twitter.com/kEwDXVGXpO

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) October 19, 2023

Marte continued his great start to the series, as the only Arizona hitter to really have anything going through three games.

It is the first walk-off win for the D-backs in the postseason since Luis Gonzalez’s championship-winning bloop single in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

#Dbacks postseason walk offs

Tony Womack gm 5 nlds 2001
gonzo , game 7. 2001 W.S.

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) October 19, 2023

Arizona had multiple chances in a 1-1 game prior to the ninth.

When the D-backs were trailing 1-0, a Tommy Pham single led off the bottom of the seventh. After pinch runner Alek Thomas took his place, a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. double that just squeezed down the left field line found enough open space in the left field corner to provide Thomas enough time to zoom on home to tie the game.

Pinch hitter Pavin Smith immediately singled, putting runners on the corners with no outs. But then Emmanuel Rivera grounded into a double play and Geraldo Perdomo hit a ball right at Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado who fielded the ball and tossed it to first for our number three, keeping the game tied.

Arizona had another chance in the bottom-half of the eighth when a two-out double by Gabriel Moreno and intentional walk for Christian Walker put up Alek Thomas in a big spot but he grounded out to second base.

The game’s first run didn’t come until the top of the seventh when reliever Ryan Thompson threw a wild pitch with two outs and a runner on third.

Brandon Pfaadt allowed the D-backs to be in this position with a tremendous scoreless 5.2 innings, giving up just two hits and walking none while striking out nine through the in-form Phillies offense.

Arizona hardly did better against Philadelphia’s Ranger Suarez, managing just three hits and a walk over his 5.1 innings.

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