Diamondbacks swept by Reds despite Corbin Carroll’s game-tying home run

Corbin Carroll hit a monster game-tying home run Sunday in Cincinnati, but the Reds finished off the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-3 to complete the sweep.

Carroll’s homer in the sixth tied the game 3-3, but Cincinnati executed with runners on late to run away with the win.

Arizona (54-46) struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position Sunday at 1-for-9 with multiple outs on the base paths.

The D-backs have been swept three times in their last five series. They had not been swept all year entering July.

“Tough stretch for us,” Carroll said. “Everybody’s got a lot of belief in each other. It might be a little bit of a small sample. Got to keep playing. Don’t change our game. Keep trying to get better.”

The D-backs leaned on their bullpen with a shortage of starters, running out five arms and starting Jose Ruiz.

Ruiz fell behind Reds (55-46) rookie standout 3B Elly De La Cruz to lead off the bottom of the first, and he left a sinker middle-in. De La Cruz smacked it 110.7 mph, 407 feet for his fifth career homer, which he appeared to have called before digging in:

"I think he called it."

After launching his 5th Major League homer — 110.7 mph | 407 ft. — @Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz points to the dugout to say "I told ya." pic.twitter.com/BXn4B7sOOL

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 23, 2023

Ruiz lasted 1.2 innings after getting burned by the long ball again. Nick Senzel hit a two-run shot in the second.

Great American Ballpark is a hitter-friendly environment with more home runs hit in Cincinnati than any other ballpark this year, per Statcast.

Home runs crushed the D-backs in the first two games this series, as a Matt McLain grand slam propelled a 9-6 win Friday night and three consecutive dingers by TJ Friedl, McLain and Jake Fraley made the difference in a 4-2 game Saturday.

Meanwhile, the D-backs had two runners aboard in three of the first four innings off Reds starter Luke Weaver but stranded all six.

It took a Reds defensive blunder to knock the shutout, as a throwing error in the fifth on a Ketel Marte infield single allowed Geraldo Perdomo to score.

That set up Carroll, whose home run hit the terrace in center field above the batter’s eye.

.@corbin_carroll crushes No. 21 for the @Dbacks! 💪

(MLB x @HankookTireUSA) pic.twitter.com/czhGfSFzJU

— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2023

Weaver hung a breaking ball that Carroll ran into for his 21st home run of the season and third in four games.

“I knew it was a homer off the bat,” Carroll said. “It was good to get one and tie the game up.”

Christian Walker followed with a double to chase Weaver from the game.

Base running issues, not something typical from Arizona this year, cost the D-backs scoring chances on Sunday. Marte ran into an out to eliminate a runners on the corners threat with one down in the fourth inning. Walker was tagged going to third on a ground ball to De La Cruz with no outs after the double.

The D-backs this road trip have strayed from playing clean baseball, and this series was particularly troublesome. Defensive errors and walks gifted the Reds chances to blow Friday’s game open and they did.

“We’re not playing the type of baseball we’ve played all year,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’re all frustrated by it.”

Cincinnati regained the lead Sunday on a Fraley double off Tyler Gilbert in the sixth and added three runs in the eighth. Miguel Castro allowed three hits and two earned runs while letting an inherited runner score.

Arizona still managed to get the game-tying run to the plate in the ninth, just as they had in the first two games.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and one out to end the series. The D-backs left 11 runners on base.

Perdomo, Marte, Carroll and Walker combined for seven hits and five walks. The rest of the offense was 3-for-20.

The Diamondbacks defeated the Atlanta Braves in two of three games but dropped seven of nine on the post All-Star break road trip. They had not been eight games over .500 or fewer since May 29.

“The Diamondbacks just came off a big series win in Atlanta,” Senzel said. “They are kind of like us, a young talented team. We knew we had to play our best baseball. We did that. To get three big wins against them was just huge.”

What’s next?

The D-backs head back to Chase Field for a six-game homestand starting Monday night.

Arizona faces the St. Louis Cardinals Monday-Wednesday and the Seattle Mariners Friday-Sunday.

First pitch Monday is set for 6:40 p.m. on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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