THE WORLD IS BEAUTIFUL

by **Paul** Tue 24 Oct 2023, 9:16 pm

Diamondbacks win NL pennant: Phillies stunned in NLCS as Arizona wins Game 7, advances to 2023 World Series Dbacks12

For the first time since 2001 and the second time in franchise history, the Arizona Diamondbacks are champions of the National League. The D-backs outlasted the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 7 of the Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night (ARI 4, PHI 2). Arizona completed a shocking series comeback after falling behind 2-0 and 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and will take on the Texas Rangers in the World Series starting on Friday.
Right from the start, Game 7 had action and tense moments -- the D-backs scored four batters into the game -- and the Arizona bullpen kept the Phillies off the board for the final five innings. The D-backs got the big hit and made the big pitch, the Phillies did not. That's really all it came down to. One team executed at a higher level than the other, and Arizona won its second elimination game on the road in as many days.
Here now are our takeaways from Game 7 and Arizona's pennant-clinching win.

Carroll's bat finally woke up

Through the first six games of the NLCS, likely NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll was 3 for 23 (.130) with no stolen bases. That's after stealing 54 in 59 tries during the regular season. In Game 7, Carroll finally woke up offensively, and he took over the game. He went 3 for 4 with three singles against lefty Ranger Suárez, plus two stolen bases. Both steals led directly to runs too.
Most notably, Carroll stroked a two-out single to center to score Emmanuel Rivera and tie the game 2-2 in the fifth inning. He then stole second base and scored what proved to be the game-winning run on Gabriel Moreno's single to right.

Diamondbacks win NL pennant: Phillies stunned in NLCS as Arizona wins Game 7, advances to 2023 World Series D_210

"A little mechanical thing that I cleaned up that I felt gave me some freedom up there and just some quickness," Carroll said prior to Game 6 when asked why he expected a breakout game soon. "Hoping to roll that over into (Games 6 and 7)."
In the seventh inning, Carroll plated an insurance run with a sacrifice fly against José Alvarado. He swung through two 100 mph sinkers and was still able to get the run home in a two-strike count. Alvarado held hitters to a .108/.188/.137 line with 57.1% strikeout rate in two-strike counts during the regular season. He's as tough as they come and Carroll still got the job done.

Diamondbacks win NL pennant: Phillies stunned in NLCS as Arizona wins Game 7, advances to 2023 World Series D_310

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Carroll is the first player ever with three hits and two stolen bases in a Game 7, and he joins Yoenis Céspedes (2012), Jacoby Ellsbury (2007), Chuck Knoblauch (twice in 1991), and Pepper Martin (1931) as the only rookies to steal two bases in a postseason game. Carroll was excellent in the Wild Card Series and Division Series, and then again in Game 7 of the NLCS.

Phillies offense vanishes

At the end of the day, the Phillies simply did not get enough offense from players other than Bryce Harper, Brandon Marsh, and Kyle Schwarber. Those three went 21 for 69 (.304) with five doubles, seven homers, and 11 RBI in the NLCS. The rest of the Phillies went 30 for 152 (.197) with six doubles, four homers, and 16 RBI. Three players can only do so much.
The Phillies had opportunities in Game 7. They left the bases loaded in the fourth inning after Brandon Pfaadt clearly pitched around Marsh -- it was as intentional as unintentional walks get -- to get to No. 9 hitter Johan Rojas with two outs. He struck Rojas out on four pitches, only one of which (the first one) was in the strike zone.

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RANGERS DON'T HAVE A PRAYER WHOO HOO !!!!!!!

by **Paul** Tue 24 Oct 2023, 11:40 pm

Diamondbacks win NL pennant: Phillies stunned in NLCS as Arizona wins Game 7, advances to 2023 World Series D_410

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PHILADELPHIA, PA (3TV/CBS 5/AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies’ offense went cold for the second straight night, and Corbin Carroll had three hits and knocked in two runs to help propel the Arizona Diamondbacks to the World Series with a 4-2 win in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series, shocking the baseball world. Arizona plays the Texas Rangers in the World Series, with Game 1 set for Friday night at Globe Life Field. To learn how fans can score tickets, click/tap here.
Brandon Pfaadt struck out seven in four innings, and five relievers combined to pitch their way out of late-inning jams for the surprising NL pennant winners. Kevin Ginkel struck out the side in the eighth, and Paul Sewald shut the door in the ninth. The bullpen gave up zero runs in five innings. “I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again: A connected team is a very dangerous team,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “No matter what happened in those times of crisis, these guys stuck together.”
Carroll, who was 3-23 heading into Game 7 with 1 RBI and 0 runs or stolen bases, went 3-3 and had two stolen bases. Those three hits are tied for the most by a rookie in a winner-take-all playoff game. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also had two hits. “We did it! That’s all I can say,” said Carroll, the frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year. “Just believe in each other, believe in our guys. We know what we have in that clubhouse, and it’s special. We’ve known it all year.”