Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll records 3 hits, scores go-ahead run in win over Padres

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll smoked three hits and scored twice, including the go-ahead run in a 4-3 victory at the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

With the game tied at 3-3 in the seventh inning, Carroll roped a double off the wall in right field with two outs. It was 106 mph off his bat.

Ketel Marte punched a knock into left field to bring Carroll in and take a 4-3 lead. The ball kicked away from left fielder Jurickson Profar, but Carroll would have been impossible to catch at the plate.

Just like we planned it. 😌 pic.twitter.com/YXbrEcsvVy

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 7, 2024

Diamondbacks reliever Ryan Thompson stranded two runners in the eighth, and closer Paul Sewald earned the save on a generous called third strike to end the game.

The D-backs have won five of six contests and are 30-33, just back of San Diego for the third wild card spot (32-34).

“The most important thing is we’re always on the same page,” Marte said through a translator about the team’s recent success. “We know what kind of team we are.”

Carroll nailed two first-pitch fastballs up the middle for singles off Padres starter Randy Vasquez in his first two plate appearances. The first registered at 108 mph off the bat, and Carroll scored the game’s opening run after stealing second, taking third on a throwing error and coming home on a Christian Walker double.

His second hit was on a fastball up-and-in, a welcome sight in a zone he has struggled mightily in.

Is Corbin Carroll turning a corner?

Carroll had a pair of multi-hit games last week but was 2-for-16 entering Thursday. He’s been searching for that stretch when he’s consistently putting the barrel on the ball and making something happen.

That, in assistant general manager Mike Fitzgerald’s mind, is how to tell the 2023 Rookie of the Year is back to his excellent self.

“The thing that sticks out to me the most is we want guys to make loud contact off the bat, and the frequency of games where Corbin was doing that in March and April was about one every other game,” Fitzgerald told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke. “Now we’re seeing that four out of every five games. He has spoiled us and set the standard for himself to do that multiple times a night. So just seeing it once a night isn’t meeting that standard. But I think seeing it once a night sets you up to be able to get to the point where you’re now seeing it multiple times a night.”

The D-backs went up 3-0 in the second inning after Eugenio Suarez and Gabriel Moreno hit back-to-back home runs. From there, the offense went quiet as Vasquez retired nine in a row.

The Padres tied the game with three runs in the fifth inning charged to D-backs starter Slade Cecconi, who successfully worked out of several jams before the Padres broke through. Catcher Kyle Higashioka hit a solo shot to break up the shutout and Jake Cronenworth doubled home a pair with a well-placed pop fly against Joe Mantiply.

A key difference in the game was the defense, as Arizona made several standout plays. Moreno showed off his athleticism for a huge out in the eighth inning.

Por algo ganó el Guante de Oro el año pasado. 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/qqvbv8St29

— MLB Venezuela (@MLBVenezuela) June 7, 2024

Cecconi picked off Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. at second base, as well.

“The way we were matching up, the way we were duking it out and getting big outs, making pitches,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We just kept moving downfield. We finished the game and it was exciting. The dugout erupted. It was a big win for us.”

Diamondbacks’ next game

The second game of the series is Friday at 6:40 p.m.

Brandon Pfaadt will start for Arizona against San Diego’s Michael King.

Catch the game on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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