LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks upset the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-2, to reach the World Series for the first time in 22 years.
The Diamondbacks had been left staring at disappointment in their best-of-seven National League Championship Series after defeat in Game 5 at home left them 3-2 down.
But after tying the series in game six in Philadelphia on Monday, Arizona sealed a remarkable comeback with another win on the road at Citizens Bank Park to advance to a World Series showdown against the Texas Rangers on Friday.
“We just believed in each other, and believed in our guys,” said Diamondbacks rookie Corbin Carroll, who contributed three crucial hits.
“We know what we have in that clubhouse and it’s special. We’ve done it all year — to be at this point is unbelievable.”
Reliever Kevin Ginkel, who claimed five outs in the seventh and eighth innings, added: “This team battles. We find different ways to win games.”
“We’ve slugged, we’ve pitched, we’ve played defense, we’ve run the bases really well… I’m going to the World Series. It’s insane.”
It was another gutsy performance by the Diamondbacks line-up, who seized the few scoring opportunities that came their way to edge into a 4-2 lead as their bullpen shut down the vaunted Phillies offense.
The Diamondbacks took the lead in the top of the first inning after Christian Walker grounded into a force out that sent Carroll across home plate.
Philadelphia did not trail for long however, with Alec Bohm crushing a homer to left center field to make it 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning.
The Phillies then edged into a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Bryson Stott’s double allowing Bohm to score.
Arizona went back in front in the fifth when Gabriel Moreno’s line drive to right field sent Carroll home for the second time in the game for a 3-2 Diamondbacks lead.
Arizona extended their lead to 4-2 when Carroll’s sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning scored Geraldo Perdomo.
With the game slipping away from them, the Phillies showed signs of a revival in the bottom of the seventh after getting two runners on base for just one out.
Diamondbacks skipper Torey Lovullo turned to set-up man Ginkel to get them out of the jam however and the reliever did not disappoint, swiftly dismissing Trea Turner and Bryce Harper to strand both Phillies runners on base.
Ginkel continued to deal in the eighth inning, striking out Bohm, Stott and J.T. Realmuto to preserve Arizona’s two-run cushion lead heading into the ninth.
After the Arizona line-up failed to add to their tally, it was left to closer Paul Sewald to seal the win, claiming the final three outs with a minimum of fuss to leave the home crowd in stunned silence.
