The Diamondbacks had their chances Tuesday night at Chase Field, but Esteury Ruiz’s three-run double in the 11th inning sent Miami to a 4-2 win and left Arizona staring at a missed opportunity in the National League Wild Card chase.
Key takeaways
- Ruiz broke a 1-1 extra-inning tie with a three-run double in the top of the 11th.
- Arizona finished with nine hits but went 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 15 baserunners.
- The Diamondbacks remain 2 1/2 games behind San Diego for the last NL Wild Card position with 10 games left.
- Arizona put the potential winning run 90 feet away in the 10th, only for Geraldo Perdomo to be tagged out at the plate.
- The Padres also lost Tuesday, keeping Arizona from losing ground in the standings.
Diamondbacks let late chances slip away
A night after Arizona rallied for a walk-off victory over the Marlins, the club appeared positioned to manufacture another late winner. Miami came up empty in the top of the 10th, and the Diamondbacks loaded the pressure on the visitors with runners at second and third and one out in the bottom half.
Ryan Waldschmidt bounced a ball to second baseman Jared Serna, who delivered a clean throw home. Catcher Brian Navarreto applied the tag before Perdomo, sliding headfirst, could get his hand to the plate.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Navarreto’s positioning was within the rules because the infield was drawn in. Perdomo had made the right read by running on contact, Lovullo said, but Miami’s catcher was allowed to protect the plate in that situation and completed the play.
The missed opening proved costly an inning later. Ruiz came through with his three-run double against Arizona in the 11th, giving Miami the margin it needed to take the 4-2 decision.
Lovullo did not disguise his frustration afterward, saying the Diamondbacks allowed a game they believed they should have won to get away from them.
Standings hold, but urgency remains
The loss did not alter Arizona’s position in the Wild Card race because San Diego fell to Colorado. The Diamondbacks are still 2 1/2 games behind the Padres for the final National League playoff spot, with 10 games remaining on the schedule.
Those clubs will meet for a three-game series at Petco Park to close the regular season, leaving Arizona with a direct opportunity ahead. First, though, the Diamondbacks must finish their three-game set against Miami on Wednesday night.
Michael Soroka said the clubhouse felt the sting of a hard-fought loss, but added that the club has to turn the page quickly and play with urgency down the stretch.
The offense had enough traffic to win, but not enough timely damage. Arizona managed only one hit in 13 chances with runners in scoring position. Lovullo said the hitters created opportunities and, at times, worked productive at-bats, but did not execute when the game demanded it most.
Outfielder Lars Nootbaar said the hitters naturally wanted to bring those runners home, but he did not believe the club changed its approach or pressed in those moments. The result, he said, was simply an especially disappointing number of stranded runners.
Lovullo’s message heading into Wednesday was straightforward: the previous game cannot be changed. Arizona must keep pushing, find some runs and win the next one.
SEO Title
Diamondbacks Waste Chances in 11-Inning Loss to Marlins
SEO Description
Esteury Ruiz hit a three-run double in the 11th as the Marlins beat the Diamondbacks 4-2 in Phoenix, despite Arizona holding steady in the NL Wild Card race.
