Carroll not trying to be D-backs' 'hero' -- but he's playing like it

PHOENIX -- Corbin Carroll knew the ball was gone. It wasn't by how it felt coming off his bat, nor did he know it by watching right fielder Tyrone Taylor's reaction.

No -- as the ball left his bat toward right field, Carroll looked and saw the scoreboard above the wall, where the exit velocity and launch angle were listed: 102.5 mph at 33 degrees.

"I didn't know off the bat, so I gave it a look," Carroll said. "And I was pretty sure."

The grand slam proved to be the difference, as the D-backs rallied in the eighth to beat the Mets, 8-5, on Wednesday night to even the three-game series at a game apiece.

It was the second homer of the game for Carroll, who has turned his season around in August. Carroll is slashing .267/.333/.656 this month, with nine of his 17 homers coming in that stretch.

Carroll's production comes at the perfect time for the red-hot D-backs, who are without three key pieces of their lineup right now with Christian Walker, Ketel Marte and Gabriel Moreno all on the injured list.

"I'm not trying to carry the team," Carroll said. "I'm not trying to be, you know, the hero. I'm just trying to do something to help the team win every day. That's been the goal. And being back in the space where I'm able to do that right now, or just give myself a better chance to do that, it's felt rewarding."

The D-backs built a 4-0 lead early in the game thanks in part to a solo homer from Carroll in the fourth inning. That looked like it might be enough for starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who cruised through the first four innings without allowing a baserunner.

But the Mets stormed back to score four runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to go up 5-4.

As the innings wore on, there was a palpable emotion in the Arizona dugout.

"In those middle innings, we were battling a little bit of frustration," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "I could feel it inside of the dugout."

Tuesday's series-opening loss aside, the D-backs don't lose many games these days. Their 21 wins and +64 run differential since July 29 lead all of baseball, with their 35-14 record since July 1 also the best in the Majors in that span. Wednesday night’s decisive eighth inning was indicative of how they've been able to do it.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. led off the frame against Mets reliever Phil Maton by drawing a walk. Two outs later, New York went to closer Edwin Díaz for the four-out save.

Pinch-hitter Pavin Smith and Geraldo Perdomo then drew back-to-back walks off Díaz to load the bases and set the stage for Carroll.

"Super grinding [at-bats]," Carroll said. "Just very much how we've been this whole year, you know, a couple big walks, just taking what the pitcher gives, and moving the line. I thought that was very representative of who we've been as an offense."

Carroll took a fastball for a called strike before Díaz left a slider in the middle of the plate and down that Carroll jumped on.

Carroll was running hard out of the box on his first homer earlier in the game, unsure if it was going to leave the park, and he needed to look at the metrics to know the second one was also destined for the seats.

But Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo knew right away.

"His last two home runs were no-doubters," Nimmo said. "Right off the bat, I was pretty sure it was a home run. It's too bad, but hat's off to him. He's had an amazing series. And I know it's been a rough season for him to start off, but he's really coming around now and playing like a star player. That was a huge moment for them and a huge comeback for them."