Corbin Carroll hit two home runs Wednesday night, the second of those a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning that provided the Diamondbacks with the go-ahead runs they needed in an 8-5 come-from-behind win over the New York Mets.
Everyone who follows baseball knows the Diamondbacks are one of baseball's hotter teams in the second half of the season. And Carroll is one of baseball's hotter hitters, having turned his season around after early struggles.
Carroll has homered in five of his past 10 games, and nine of his 17 home runs this season have come in his past 20 games. His 11 home runs since the All-Star break lead National League outfielders, and he has reached base in 36 consecutive starts since July 7, with 37 hits, 17 walks and three hit-by-pitches in that span.
As his grand slam sailed toward the right-center field fence, Carroll had a good feeling it was gone. He was looking at the exit velocity on a graphics board after hitting the ball.
Corbin Carroll's 2nd HR of the night is a GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fvTsXRrXGA
— MLB (@MLB) August 29, 2024
"I looked up at the exit 'velo' and the launch angle in right field, and I was pretty sure (it was a home run)," Carroll said. "You gotta give it a look, yeah. I didn't know off the bat so I gave it a look."
Carroll's batting average of .225 isn't indicative of his more recent hitting success. He said he learned lessons from his struggles in the first half.
With three top players out with injuries (Ketel Marte, Christan Walker, Gabriel Moreno), Carroll, who shined last season as a rookie, still doesn't feel he needs to be the tone-setter on offense for the Diamondbacks.
"I'm not trying to carry the team, I'm not trying to be the hero," Carroll said. "I'm just trying to do something to help the team win every day. That's been the goal, and being back in the space where I'm able to do that right now, giving myself a better chance to do that, it's both rewarding."
Carroll has regained confidence as a hitter with a couple of mechanical adjustments and by working on his approach. He feels he's doing a better job of not overstriding as much as before, studying video of his at-bats to see where he can improve.
"Corbin Carroll absolutely picked us up with one swing of the bat," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "It was a matter of time before he figured it out. ... He's really come out the other end because of hard work and dedication and the belief that it was going to happen. And the beauty of Corbin is he has been the same person, the same baseball player to me and his teammates.
"Overall, we know that we have three really good players that are missing from our lineup, and we want to hold down the fort for them until they return."
The Diamondbacks (76-57) were given a chance thanks to Mets reliever Edwin Diaz, who walked pinch hitter Pavin Smith and No. 9 hitter Geraldo Perdomo to bring up Carroll with the bases loaded.
Earlier in the game, Joc Pederson's two-run home run and Carroll's 440-foot solo home run gave the Diamondbacks and starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez a 4-0 lead through four innings. But the Mets scored four runs off Rodriguez in the top of the fifth, and until the bottom of the eighth New York led 5-4.
A close play at home plate went the Mets' way in the top of the sixth, putting them in front. But Kevin Ginkel, winning pitcher Ryan Thompson (7-3) and Justin Martinez (seventh save) kept the Mets from adding to their lead after Rodriguez pitched 5 ⅓ innings and gave up the most runs he's allowed in his four starts this season.
"No matter what I do out there, it's just about winning the game. That's the most important part for us," Rodriguez said. "That's why you gotta love baseball. Overall I just missed three pitches ... I feel like everything was great, all my pitches were working so you have to take the good along with the bad."
The Diamondbacks and Mets finish their three-game series Thursday, with game time set for 12:40 p.m.
Whom to add to roster on Sept. 1 for Diamondbacks?
\Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said before Wednesday's game that internal discussions have begun about whom to add to the major-league roster when MLB rosters can expand to 28 players on Sept. 1.
The decision could be affected by the potential return of injured players Ketel Marte and Christian Walker, Lovullo said. But a pitcher and position player could get the call, Lovullo said.
"We were throwing some names around in my office," Lovullo said. One such name could be outfielder Alek Thomas, who has been at Triple-A Reno since mid-August.
No return date set for Diamondbacks' Marte, Walker, Moreno
It isn't likely that Diamondbacks regulars Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno and Christian Walker will be ready to come off the 10-day injured list in time for games this weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a series that could be for the National League West Division lead.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo confirmed that prior to Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets, and also confirmed that Marte has a high left ankle sprain.
Walker is out with a strained left oblique and Moreno has a strained left adductor.
"There's no target date," Lovullo said. "They've just got to get to a certain point, and as I just was told, they need to check a couple of boxes and we're going to target something hopefully next week. Where that is, we're not exactly sure. But they've got to get through the next several days. The next several days are crucial for their baseball progression."
The hope is that Walker plays in a game of some kind by Saturday at the Diamondbacks' continuation camp at the Salt River Fields complex, which is where injured players can do rehab and play in game-like conditions with the club's rookie league and Arizona Complex League season over.
Lovullo said there was no serious damage to Marte's ankle, it just needs rest.
"I was just exchanging texts with (Marte) before the game (Tuesday) and then before we went to sleep last night," Lovullo said. "He wants to come back and make a splash and get after it and help us win games.
"He said 'Make sure the boys keep winning, because I'm coming back and it's going to be even better when I get back.'"
The two still discuss the MVP race, though Marte's chances certainly have been affected by his IL stint.
Moreno is doing light jogging, lower body weightlifting, batting cage work and defensive work, Lovullo said.
Thursday’s Diamondbacks-Mets pitching matchup
Mets at Diamondbacks, 12:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (9-6, 4.29) vs. Mets LHP David Peterson (8-1, 2.85).
At Chase Field, 12:40 p.m.: Nelson has just been too consistent to be removed from the starting rotation, and his performance was what led to the Diamondbacks moving Jordan Montgomery into the bullpen as a long reliever. Nelson is 4-0 with a 2.84 earned run average and 59 strikeouts over his past nine starts, and the Diamondbacks are 8-1 in those nine games. He doesn't have a win against the Mets in two career starts. ... Peterson got the win with 7 ⅓ innings of work, one run allowed on five hits against the San Diego Padres in his most recent start on Aug. 24. He's 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA over his past five starts.
Related: Diamondbacks' Adrian Del Castillo shakes off bad year, blasts into big-league life
Coming up
Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (10-6, 3.65) vs. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (2-2, 3.72).
Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (4-0., 3.98) vs. Dodgers RHP Gavin Stone (11-5, 3.33)
Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (8-7, 4.31) vs. Dodgers TBD
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Diamondbacks lose 4-run lead, but rally for win with grand slam
