Jake McCarthy stole the show with two home runs, while Ketel Marte blasted his 30th of the season before leaving the game with a left ankle injury, as the Arizona Diamondbacks dominated the Philadelphia Phillies 11-1 on Saturday night.
Corbin Carroll also joined the home run parade for Arizona, which has now won 14 of its last 17 games, securing a wild-card spot and closing the gap on the Dodgers in the National League West.
The game wasn’t without its drama, as Arizona starter Zac Gallen was forced to leave early after an awkward attempt to field a grounder from Bryce Harper in the fifth inning. Thankfully, Gallen reassured fans post-game, explaining that he was dealing with cramps and would be fine.
“I’m not concerned about it,” Gallen said. “Just need to hydrate a little better next time.”
With the intense Phoenix heat adding to the challenge, Chase Field was warmer than usual, as a crowd of 46,183 watched the action unfold. The Diamondbacks celebrated their victory over Philadelphia from last season by giving away replica league championship rings, a series where Marte earned MVP honors.
There was some initial concern over Gallen’s early exit, especially since he missed a month earlier in the season due to a right hamstring injury.
“I felt like he was grinding through his outing, it wasn’t easy for him,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo. “I made the decision that he should come out and that it wasn’t worth the risk.”
Marte, who exited the game in the fourth inning, also seems to have avoided serious injury.
The incident occurred when Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs hit a ball that deflected off third baseman Eugenio Suárez’s glove, resulting in a double. As Marte covered second base, Stubbs’ head-first slide collided with Marte’s left leg, causing him to fall to the ground in pain. Marte eventually left the field on his own and was replaced by Kevin Newman.
After the game, Marte assured fans, saying, “I’ll be ready to play Monday,” and dismissed any blame towards Stubbs for the slide. “No, he’s a good kid and was trying not to hurt me,” Marte said.
Stubbs expressed regret after the game, stating: “It was horrible. I knew that I got him good, so I immediately reached for him.”
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