PHOENIX – Christian Walker's first career home run lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 in the 10th inning of Tuesday's game that started two hours late after a bee swarm delay.
Manager Torey Lovullo told Walker to hit a ball to the “effin' moon” before the at-bat, and Walker was forced into a 426-foot changeup by Dodgers reliever Nabil Crismatt.
Bee-live it! Christian Walker's second homer of the game is a #walk for @Dbacks! pic.twitter.com/tml265wKK0
— MLB (@MLB) May 1, 2024
It was a quick and decisive finish to a game that ended nearly five hours after it originally started and marked Arizona's (14-17) second win of the year.
“Amazing,” Walker said. “I felt that spot comes up a lot in extras with the guy on second and the focus goes to maybe a runner, try to get that run across. Torey came out before the final at-bat and the belief, 'Go do what you usually do, let it fly, let's win a game.' That was nice. It was the little edge I needed.”
“I felt like it was a really good matchup for him, as closed as he is,” Lovullo added. “So we had a moment there afterwards and we laughed about it.”
Walker homered twice Tuesday, driving in three of Arizona's four runs on a night the offense struggled with runners on board. Gabriel Moreno hit the tying run with a single in the eighth off Daniel Hudson, ending an 0-for-10 streak for Arizona with runners in scoring position.
However, an early error kept the game tied 2-2 going into the ninth. Moreno had a chance to score on a Corbin Carroll double, but was slowed going to third and held there.
Scott McGough entered the 10th inning to face the top of the Dodgers' order (19-13), and he had the bases loaded with one out. He escaped with only Manfred Man scoring, giving his offense a shot with the tying run in scoring position and Walker at the plate.
What did Torey Lovullo say to Christian Walker before he won his at-bat? pic.twitter.com/JJp40724x0
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) May 1, 2024
The Diamondbacks overcame the difficult task of facing MLB's premier offense with a late-inducing surprise play.
The 6:40 p.m. start turned into 8:35 p.m. after a colony of bees settled on top of the protective netting behind home plate. The Diamondbacks had to get someone from pest control on the line, and Matt Hilton drove from his son's ball game in Surprise to deal with the bees to a roaring ovation.
“We were in the cage watching, they had zoomed right in on him,” Walker said. “So it looked like the best view in the house.”
D-backs Jordan Montgomery was minutes away from getting the ball in his first home game with the club, but after two hours of rest, Arizona scratched him.
“Being able to go through this game, you scratch your starter because of something you can never predict and the bullpen goes out and keeps him in the hitting range all night, I'm just proud of this group,” Lovullo said .
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo talking about the bees' delay in the postgame press conference. pic.twitter.com/JK4K52HlqS
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) May 1, 2024
Despite the unexpected changes, Arizona held Los Angeles' killer trio of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman to 2-for-12 with six strikeouts and three walks.
Brandon Hughes, a lefty recalled from Triple-A Reno before the game, started, and Arizona used seven pitchers to go 10 innings — Hughes, Bryce Jarvis, Justin Martinez, Joe Mantiply, Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel and McGough.
Jarvis and Thompson were particularly vital with five shutout frames between them.
Hughes revealed he was starting 45 minutes before taking the ball and delivered a goalless first game.
“One of my friends sent me a message to Google bees and how they are a sign of good luck from ancient times,” Hughes said. “It was actually a little bit deeper in how they use teamwork and collaboration. I mean, that was a complete team win right there.”
There was a possibility that Tuesday's game could be pushed back to Wednesday, Thursday or August. Instead, it was a climactic victory to cap off a difficult month of D-backs baseball amid tough losses and injuries.
Arizona has two one-run wins in its last three contests.
“This team needed that moment, it was good to see them celebrate on the court like they did,” Lovullo said.
Montgomery won't have to wait long for his chance, as he will start on Wednesday, pushing for Zac Gallen on Friday against the San Diego Padres.
The Diamondbacks finish their three-game series with the Dodgers on Wednesday at 6:40 pm Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start for LA.
Catch the game on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
