Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he felt “a little bit of magic” in a 5-3 walk-off win over the New York Yankees on Saturday, the night the Diamondbacks celebrated the 25th anniversary of their 2001 World Series title.
The Diamondbacks will take wins however they can get them as they continue an uphill fight for a National League wild-card berth in Sunday afternoon’s finale of a three-game series vs. the Yankees in Phoenix.
New York’s Will Warren (10-6, 3.89 ERA) will oppose Arizona’s Corbin Burnes (0-0, 5.87) in a battle of right-handers.
“There was a ton of energy in the stadium,” said Lovullo, noting that most of the players from the 2001 team were on hand, “so maybe there was a little bit of magic somewhere in these rafters that everybody picked up on.”
Pavin Smith’s two-run, game-winning homer saved the Diamondbacks for a night, but work remains.
“We have to get inside a certain number,” said Lovullo, whose team will finish the regular season next week with a pair of three-game series at Colorado and San Diego. “We know it, and this team is driving for something they feel they are able to do.”
Arizona (81-74) is five games behind the Chicago Cubs (86-69) and San Diego (86-69) and four behind Philadelphia (85-70) for the NL’s three wild-card spots. Each team has seven games remaining.
The Yankees (89-65) fell five games behind first-place Tampa Bay (94-60) in the AL East. Those teams will meet in a four-game series in Yankee Stadium beginning with a split doubleheader on Tuesday and already have clinched a postseason berth.
“I have a ton of confidence in the guys we have rolling out there right now,” New York manager Aaron Boone said after Aaron Judge (calf strain) landed on the 10-day injured list Saturday.
Warren worked the Yankees’ playoff clincher Monday at Minnesota, although he did not get a decision after giving up two runs (both unearned) in 5 2/3 innings of an 8-3 win. He struck out six and walked two.
Warren has been a workhorse on a staff that has faced injury issues. He will make his 29th start, second on the team behind Cam Schlittler (32).
“We’ve got a veteran core that’s been here before, and we’re looking to do big things,” Warren said of the upcoming postseason.
Warren has faced the Diamondbacks once in his career, giving up two runs on one hit — a Corbin Carroll two-run homer — in five innings of a no-decision on April 1, 2025.
Burnes will make his third start since being activated from the injured list Sept. 8 after a 15-month absence following Tommy John surgery. He gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings but didn’t figure into the decision in Monday’s 8-7 victory over Miami, striking out four with no walks.
“It’s all about cutter command,” Burnes said of his pet pitch, which he traditionally throws about 50% of the time. “Just have to be more consistent with that,”
Burnes is 0-2 with a 1.93 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees. Paul Goldschmidt is 10-for-34 with a homer against the four-time All-Star and 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner.
–Field Level Media
