In a monumental upset, the Arizona Diamondbacks shocked the baseball world as they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in a thrilling NL Division Series, securing their first NLCS appearance since 2007. A sold-out Chase Field witnessed this historic victory, igniting euphoria among Arizona fans, reports MLB.com.
“I’m seeing it, so I guess I have to believe it,” remarked D-backs managing general partner Ken Kendrick. “I’m really happy for our town. It’s been a long while for us, as you guys know, and these young guys were overachieving, and everyone is sort of saying, ‘Oh, they’re pretty damn good.’ I don’t know about the national media. They probably don’t quite have it yet. But some of the rest of us are kind of getting it.”
The Diamondbacks, unbeaten in the postseason, clinched the NL Wild Card Series by sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers before repeating their success against the Dodgers. This marks the first time they’ve won multiple playoff series in a year since their World Series triumph in 2001.
Their last NLCS appearance in 2007 ended in a sweep by the Rockies. The Diamondbacks now await their next opponent, either the Phillies or the Braves, who are currently battling it out in their best-of-five series.
D-backs general manager Mike Hazen commented on the tough choice ahead: “I’ll start stressing about that tomorrow, not tonight. They both have incredible offenses.”
The pivotal moment of the game came in a record-setting third inning when the Diamondbacks made postseason history by hitting four home runs in one inning against Dodgers starter Lance Lynn. Geraldo Perdomo led off with a homer, followed by Ketel Marte and Christian Walker, each delivering home runs in quick succession. Gabriel Moreno initially hit what seemed like another homer, but the decision was overturned upon review. Undeterred, Moreno homered on the very next pitch from Lynn, securing a commanding 4-0 lead.
Despite their remarkable playoff run, the Diamondbacks are not overanalyzing the reasons behind their success after ending the regular season on a four-game losing streak. They are savoring the moment, fully immersed in the euphoria of their achievements.
“We were saving it,” joked outfielder Corbin Carroll about their late-season struggles. “It’s just baseball. You know, you try to understand it, but you can’t.”
The Diamondbacks won 16 fewer games than the 100-win Dodgers during the regular season. This upset marked the sixth-largest postseason upset by run differential and the first resulting in a sweep. Beating the Dodgers held special significance for the Diamondbacks, as they have faced numerous setbacks against their longtime rivals in recent years.
D-backs ace Zac Gallen expressed the importance of the series victory: “I think it’s an understatement to say we were counted out, especially in this series, for sure. And obviously, it’s no secret we’ve had our battles with them, our struggles. But yeah, this one tastes a little bit sweeter, for sure.”
