Full Breakdown
Diamondbacks Rally From Seven-Run Hole to Stun Cardinals
7/20/2026, 12:46:27 PM
Series Overview & Stakes
The Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals entered the July 17–19 series tied for a wild-card spot, with the Cardinals at 51-45 and the Diamondbacks at 49-48. A 5-4 loss for Arizona on Friday put the D-backs on the brink, but a dramatic 8-7 comeback two nights later kept them within two and a half games of the postseason.
Game 1: Cardinals Edge D-backs 5-4 (July 17)
Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt’s solo homer and a go-ahead sacrifice fly by Iván Herrera in the ninth gave St. Louis a 5-4 win. Arizona’s offense stalled, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Defensive miscues—including a ground ball that deflected off pitcher Merrill Kelly and was ruled an error on second baseman Ketel Marte—produced two unearned runs. In the ninth, a misplayed ground ball by closer Paul Sewald set up the decisive run, and a missed strike-three call by home-plate umpire Bill Miller went unchallenged by Marte, adding to manager Torey Lovullo’s frustration.
Game 2: Diamondbacks Complete Historic Comeback 8-7 (July 19)
Arizona trailed 7-0 after a five-run third inning by the Cardinals. Eduardo Rodriguez’s short outing (2 2/3 innings, seven hits) sparked the rally. Blaze Jordan’s early hits and a two-run single by Max Kepler in the eighth tied the game. In the tenth, Kepler delivered a walk-off RBI double, marking the franchise’s largest comeback victory—matching the 13-7 win over Philadelphia on Aug. 29 2022. Inside-the-park home run scorer Geraldo Perdomo and a series of defensive lapses by St. Louis (including a baserunning error by pinch-runner Bryan Torres) sealed the win.
Key Figures
- Torey Lovullo – Arizona manager, vocal about errors and missed opportunities.
- JJ Wetherholt – Cardinals rookie, contributed a homer and three hits on July 17.
- Max Kepler – Arizona’s walk-off hero on July 19.
- Geraldo Perdomo – Bench coach-turned-player, celebrated with teammates after the comeback.
- Nolan Arenado – Cardinals’ two-run homer in the eighth tied the game.
Data & Statistics
- Cardinals: 5-4 win (July 17), 8-7 win (July 19).
- Diamondbacks: 0-9 with RISP (July 17), 7-0 deficit overcome (July 19).
- Wild-card race: D-backs remain 2 ½ games behind the lead.
- Perdomo’s inside-the-park home run initially ruled a single and error, later changed.
Official Statements & Responses
Lovullo described the Friday loss as “not D-Back baseball,” emphasizing a series of mistakes that cost the team. He later noted that the team “got that energy and we injected it into the game” after the comeback, while refusing to elaborate on the bench-coach Gatorade incident. Perdomo credited the coaching staff for reviving the squad’s energy, saying the team “didn’t have enough energy until the sixth” and that the coaches’ frustration sparked the rally. Cardinals first baseman Nolan Arenado called the win “arguably, probably our best win of the year,” praising the team’s resilience.
Criticism & Opposition
Analysts highlighted Arizona’s defensive lapses on July 17—misplayed ground balls, a failed challenge on a strike-three call, and a pinch-runner pickoff that eliminated a potential run. The missed strike-three call, despite pitch-tracking data showing the pitch was well above the zone, drew particular criticism for the lack of a challenge.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m pretty pissed,” Lovullo said. “… You guys saw it. That’s not DBack baseball. Especially coming off the type of baseball we were playing.” — Torey Lovullo, Manager
- “It’s frustrating, of course,” Lovullo said, “but there are 15 other things that happened in this game that are still eating at me right now.” — Torey Lovullo, Manager
- “All the credit to the coaches,” Perdomo said. “We didn’t have enough energy until the sixth — until we pissed off Mac (McKay). After that, I think we got some energy, and things started getting better.” — Geraldo Perdomo, Player
- “I did and I don’t want to talk about it,” Lovullo said. “I know exactly what happened, and I don’t want to talk about it.” — Torey Lovullo, Manager
- “Just to come back like that was incredible — arguably, probably our best win of the year,” — Nolan Arenado, First Baseman
Implications for the Wild Card
The back-to-back games keep Arizona within striking distance of the wild-card lead and give the club momentum heading into the final stretch of the season, while the Cardinals maintain a narrow edge but must address defensive consistency to preserve their postseason hopes.
