The 8-year-old kid who used to emulate Byung-hyun “BK” Kim (formerly of Arizona) grew up to become a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was honored as the winning pitcher in the game that clinched their first World Series berth in 22 years.
Arizona rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) of the 2023 Major League Baseball postseason at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Friday (May 25).
They out-hit the Phillies in both halves. Rookie Brandon Potts got the start and pitched four solid innings, allowing two runs on four hits (one home run) with two walks and seven strikeouts. Rookie of the Year candidate Corbin Carroll led the team at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a presence at the plate and on the basepaths. The nine starters combined for 11 hits, taking the pressure off the young pitching staff.
The bullpen came through in the final innings. Ryan Thompson, who idolized Byung-hyun Kim, pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and set-up man Kevin Ginkel set the tone for Arizona by retiring three straight batters up the middle. Ketel Marte, who extended his postseason hitting streak to 16 games with a double, was named Series MVP after batting .387 in the Championship Series alone.
The A’s will look to win their second title in franchise history against the Texas Rangers, who have never won a World Series title. Arizona’s last World Series was in 2001, when Byung-hyun Kim was the closer and the A’s won their first title behind the one-two punch of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Just two years ago, they were in last place with 110 losses, but they quickly rebuilt and reached the World Series. They became the sixth team to reach the World Series the fastest after a 100-loss season, according to MLB.com. Texas, which reached the World Series the day before (April 24), is the fifth team in two years to reach the World Series after 100 losses, but this is the first time two teams have done it in the same year. Arizona also became the first National League team to reach the World Series with a negative run differential.
Philadelphia couldn’t handle the pressure of the first postseason Game 7 in the franchise’s 140-year history. The Phillies, who entered the postseason with a 90-72 regular season record and the No. 1 wild-card berth, defeated the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves to advance to the World Series, 14 years after winning the title in 2009.
Starting on the mound was Ranger Suarez, who had emerged as a fall ace this year, going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in three postseason games. But the Phillies’ plans began to unravel when Suarez collapsed in 4⅔ innings, giving up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts. The normally potent offense was held to just five hits.
October 25, Arizona Diamondbacks at Philadelphia Phillies Starting Lineup
The visiting Arizona lineup was Ketel Marte (second base), Corbin Carroll (center field), Gabriel Moreno (catcher), Christian Walker (first base), Tommy Pham (right field), Laudes Gurriel Jr. (left field), Evan Longoria (designated hitter), Emanuel Rivera (third base), and Gerardo Perdomo (shortstop). Starting on the mound was right-hander Brandon Potts, who was 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in three postseason starts this year.
For the home team, the Phillies batted Kyle Schwarber (designated hitter), Trey Turner (shortstop), Bryce Harper (first base), Alex Bomb (third base), Brian Stott (second base), J.T. Realmuto (catcher), Nick Castellanos (right field), Brandon Marsh (left field), and Josh Rojas (center field). On the mound is left-hander Ranger Suarez, who is 1-0 with a 0.64
Arizona struck first. In the top of the first inning, Carroll and Moreno singled to put runners on first and third, and Walker hit a ball hard on the body to produce a slow grounder toward third base. Philadelphia third baseman Spring threw to Stott in second base coverage, and Stott threw back to first base for the out, but Walker was ruled safe at first base on a quick foot, allowing the third baseman to score.
Bom tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot, driving a high fastball from Potts over the left-center field fence. The Phillies battled back. With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Stott drove in Spring with a big double to left-center field. But the Arizona starter didn’t falter, striking out two and getting out of the inning without allowing a run, setting the stage for the comeback. Potts’ final line was four innings, four hits (one home run), two walks, seven strikeouts, and two runs.
Arizona chipped away at the deficit one run at a time. The Cats, who are on pace to set a new team stolen base record this postseason, scored with their feet. In the top of the fifth, Rivera led off with a single up the middle and Perdomo followed with a sacrifice bunt. Carroll followed with another single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2 and stole second himself to keep the rally going.
Moreno’s single to left scored Carroll and gave Arizona a 3-2 lead, but first baseman Harper cut down the right fielder’s line drive up the middle and threw out Moreno at second base to end the inning.
Arizona’s pitching also stood out. After Schwarber doubled in the bottom of the fifth inning, Joe Mantifly allowed Turner and Harper to reach base before switching to Thompson. Bomb, who had been hitting well, couldn’t get a timing on Thompson’s unique sidearm pitch and retired on a grounder to second base. Thompson pitched one more scoreless inning to earn the win.짱구카지노 주소
In the top of the seventh, Arizona moved one run closer to victory when Perdomo singled and Marte doubled to right to put runners on second and third before Carroll singled to right field to score one more run.
In the bottom half of the game, set-up man Ginkel was dominant. After Andrew Salfrank struck out Marsh in the bottom of the seventh and gave up back-to-back singles to Christian Pacheco and Schwarber, Ginkel came on in relief.
Ginkel got Turner and Harper to fly out to end the seventh and then struck out three straight batters in a row in center field in the eighth to end a Springsteen-Stott-Realmuto rally.
In the bottom of the ninth, reliever Paul Seewald struck out the side to end the game, and Arizona celebrated its first World Series appearance in 22 years in enemy territory.
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