Photo: Geraldo Perdomo crosses home plate after the first of four consecutive Diamondback home runs in the third inning
The Arizona Diamondbacks used a record-setting smack of four consecutive solo homers in the third inning to a 4-2 win in Game 3 of the NL Division Series on Wednesday night, sweeping the 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers right out of the playoffs.
It was the first playoff game at Chase Field since 2017 and with outside temperatures in the upper 80’s, the roof was open for the sellout crowd of 48,175.
The D-backs return to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2007, where they’ll face either the Phillies or Braves.
Manager Torrey Lovullo said, “We are not thinking about who we may play. We are just going to enjoy this moment for what it is.” In regards to the sellout Lovullo said, “This place was really amazing tonight. We could feel the energy throughout, and we fed off that. Looking forward to the same atmosphere again.”
Arizona came in with the sixth seed after squeezing into the NL playoff bracket with an 84-78 record, and have won all five games in the postseason, sweeping both the Brewers in a best-of-three series, and the Dodgers in a best-of-five.
Photo: Christian Walker ready to swing for his third inning home run off of Dodger starter Lance Lynn
Even though monsoon season is technically over, lightning struck four consecutive times in the third inning. The Diamondbacks slugged a postseason record four home runs in the third off veteran righty Lance Lynn, who had cruised through the first two innings. All solo shots came from Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Gabriel Moreno. The stadium noise grew louder with each swing as the D-Backs took a 4-0 lead.
Perdomo started the scoring with a leadoff homer, his first long ball since the 13th of August, and only his seventh of the year. Marte hit a shot to right on a 1-0 cutter. Walker pulled a 3-1 pitch to left for a 3-0 lead, drawing another roar from the Chase Field crowd. Then came number four, Moreno sliced a 2-1 fastball down the line to the opposite field that right field umpire Gabe Morales called fair. The umpires huddled and crew chief Todd Tichenor reversed the call to foul, a decision upheld by a video review.
Moreno shook it off and then drove Lynn’s very next pitch over the left field wall, flipping his bat high in the air as he started his trot. After Moreno crossed home plate, a dejected Lynn handed the ball to manager Dave Roberts and walked toward the dugout.
Lynn gave up 44 homers in the regular season, the most in the majors. The previous mark of three homers in a postseason inning had been accomplished 12 times, most recently by the Dodgers against Atlanta in 2020.
Lovullo said, “That was something special for sure. I have never seen something like that. I mean who hits a potential home run ball foul, then really hits one. Usually they strike out. The guys are loose. Nobody expected us outside this organization to get this far. I think it is that and we are making adjustments to make sure we get quality at bats.”
The NL West champion Dodgers rallied for two runs in the seventh on two out RBI singles from Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez off of reliever Ryan Thompson, but lefty Andrew Saalfrank entered and retired Austin Barnes on a groundout.
Will Smith had a one out single in the ninth off closer Paul Sewald. Chris Taylor made D-Backs fans nervous for a few seconds when he hit a deep fly ball to center in front of the 413 foot sign. Hernandez flied out to Lourdes Guriel in left to end it.
Photo: Brandon Pfaadt gave the D-Backs a solid start in game three
D-Backs rookie right hander Brandon Pfaadt threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out two.
Pfaadt said, “I still had a lot in the tank but I knew coming in that it was going to be shorter leash. I needed to give the team what we needed and my goal was to leave with the lead and I did that.”
Lovullo added, “I explained to him after his outing that I felt it was a good time to hand it over to the bullpen. It takes nothing away from what he gave us tonight. He set the stage and gave us what we needed to get the win tonight.”
Perdomo, who is not known for his power at the plate, said, “It feels amazing. I feel like we didn’t expect to hit a homer. I just try to take really good swings.”
Christian Walker said, “This year has felt completely different. We got a taste of all these really good players last year and to see them come in and assume their roles. Guys like Corbin to accept putting the team on his back, and he is not the only one, is going to be a part of our success. Just really proud of the group.”
Corbin Carroll said, “We’ve got some really good talent. The majority of it is young. Still getting better, still adapting to this level, and still going through the trials and tribulations but coming out the other side as a better product. I think there is a lot to be excited about.”
While the D-Backs thrived, the Dodgers had no answers for a third straight game. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, two former MVPs, couldn’t make much of an impact throughout the series.
Both All-Stars struck out in the eighth against Kevin Ginkel with a runner on first. Betts finished the series 0 for 11 while Freeman was 1 for 10. In regards to Betts and Freeman going a combined 1 for 21, Dodger manager Dave Roberts said, “I can’t really say what happened. This is baseball. I congratulate Torrey and his guys. They just outplayed us in every facet of the game.”
Games one and two will be in either Atlanta or Philadelphia beginning Monday. Game two will be on Tuesday. The D-Backs will host games three, four, on Thursday and Friday with game five on Saturday, if necessary. Two more potential games on the road will close out the seven game series if needed. The winner will move on to the World Series.
