Arizona kept its October door cracked open with a 12-8 win over Colorado on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field, taking care of the business in front of it before heading west for the last regular-season series in San Diego.
A lively finish, but no room left for slips
The Diamondbacks arrived in Denver needing a strong final push after losing consecutive series to the Rangers and Marlins, when a shortage of hits with runners in scoring position had stalled the offense. Three games at Coors Field helped wake up those bats.
Thursday marked the third straight game in which Arizona struck early. The Diamondbacks hammered Rockies starter Tanner Gordon for six first-inning runs before he registered an out, giving their pitching staff a cushion in a game that eventually finished 12-8.
- Gabriel Moreno supplied a three-run home run in the opening outburst.
- Nolan Arenado added a two-run blast.
- The victory allowed Arizona to reach its season-ending trip to San Diego with its postseason chances still intact.
The Wild Card math follows them to San Diego
The Cubs secured a playoff berth Thursday by defeating the Marlins. Arizona also knew the Padres had a chance to lock down a postseason place later that night against the Dodgers.
Arizona sat 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia for the National League’s third and final Wild Card berth. A Phillies win over Milwaukee on Thursday night would not mathematically end the Diamondbacks’ chase, but the path has narrowed to a demanding final weekend.
- The Diamondbacks need to sweep all three games in San Diego.
- The Phillies need to lose each of their final three games against Tampa Bay.
It is a thin thread, but it remains a thread, and Arizona gave itself the chance to pull it by leaving Denver with a win.
Rodriguez finally looks like the intended centerpiece
Eduardo Rodriguez has been one of the brighter developments in Arizona’s season. The left-hander joined the club on a four-year, $80 million deal before the 2024 campaign, but his first two seasons in the desert were marked by injuries and uneven performance.
This year has looked different. Rodriguez began the spring by helping Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic, then carried that form into the regular season and earned the first All-Star selection of his career. He has become much closer to the dependable rotation arm the Diamondbacks expected when they committed to him.
Now the club heads into San Diego with a revived lineup, a veteran left-hander in stronger form, and three games to play with the season still on the line.
