Diamondbacks’ Ryan Waldschmidt hits walk-off home run in stunning comeback over Cubs

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks rookie Ryan Waldschmidt came off the bench and rocked a walk-off home run to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4 on Tuesday at Chase Field.

Waldschmidt entered the game with two outs in the ninth inning, Arizona trailing 4-3 and the tying run on second base after a successful two-out steal by Jose Fernandez. Cubs reliever Jacob Webb hung a slider to him, and he crushed a no-doubter 408 feet.

Ryan Waldschmidt has three career home runs …

Two of them are walk-offs 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/7UN2ow7uhS

— MLB (@MLB) August 26, 2026

The Diamondbacks’ offense had not scored a run over the first 16 innings of this series, and they came alive to continue enforcing their resilience as a team despite the adversity that continues to pile up.

The Diamondbacks fell behind 4-0 in this game, as the offense could not touch Cubs starter Clay Holmes.

Both of Chicago’s trade deadline headliners silenced the Diamondbacks this week:

• Kevin Gausman: 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H
• Clay Holmes: 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 H

The Diamondbacks had a deal in place for Holmes, but it fell through. The Mets backed out due to medical concerns with the prospect capital coming back. The Mets then flipped Holmes to Chicago.

Brandon Pfaadt allowed a three-run home run to Ian Happ in the fourth inning, and the Cubs plated a fourth run in the sixth. The Cubs set a franchise record at that point with 30 unanswered runs scored, 11 in this series.

Arizona finally built an inning in the eighth once the Chicago bullpen entered the game, which started painfully.

Jordan Lawlar was drilled by a 98.5 mph heater by Cubs reliever Daniel Palencia and left the game. Lars Nootbaar followed with a walk, and on a night when it felt like fortune turned it back on the Diamondbacks, a Gabriel Moreno check-swing double down the line ended the shutout. Geraldo Perdomo’s two-run single then shot them back into the ballgame.

Tuesday attendance

28,215

Series finale

Eduardo Rodriguez (13-4, 2.61) will be tasked as the potential series winner for Arizona, while the Cubs will starter fellow lefty Matthew Boyd (8-2, 4.15).

First pitch is at 12:40 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

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