Carroll's stolen base sparks D-backs' comeback vs. Mariners

PHOENIX -- They took extra bases, they came from behind, they manufactured a run when they needed it most, thanks to their speed and fearlessness. In short, the D-backs on Saturday night looked like the D-backs of old, and by old we mean just last month.

That’s when they were on top of the NL West, exuding confidence and energy while building up a record of 16 games above .500.

Times have been leaner since as they’ve compiled a 7-15 record in July, and that includes Saturday’s 4-3 nail-biter over the Mariners in front of a raucous crowd of 44,472.

“Any win is a good win, especially with the grind we’ve been through,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.

Like with most of the Arizona wins of late, this one did not come easy.

They fell behind the Mariners 3-0 early, although starter Brandon Pfaadt found a way to limit the damage and keep the D-backs within striking distance.

“He does a lot of things right that help keep us in the games and let us catch our breath and get back out there and put up some points to get back in the game,” Lovullo said.

The D-backs’ comeback started in the bottom of the fourth when they scored a pair of runs on back-to-back hits by Christian Walker and Dominic Canzone.

They tied things up in the fifth when Alek Thomas tripled and Carson Kelly followed with a single to left.

Pfaadt, meanwhile, pitched his way out of jams and put up his second straight nice outing since switching from the third-base to the first-base side of the pitching rubber.

“I think we built upon that from the last start,” Pfaadt said. “I think there are a lot of positives to take out of it.”

The D-backs took their first lead of the game in the eighth, and they did it thanks in large part to the speed and heads-up baserunning by outfielder Corbin Carroll, who is the current favorite for NL Rookie of the Year.

Carroll drew a walk to lead off the eighth and distracted Seattle right-hander Andrés Muñoz enough to force a balk.

Then on second, Carroll immediately stole third base without even a throw, his 32nd steal of the year.

Carroll is one of the D-backs players who has the green light to steal on his own, unless he gets a red-light signal from Lovullo.

“That is just a classic case of being prepped and being ready,” Lovullo said. “He's capable of doing that against any pitcher at any time, and it was the difference in the game for us today. It's just an instinctual play. That was him seeing something that we probably have talked about and just trusted it and got it.”

One out later, Canzone grounded one back up the middle through the drawn-in infield to score Carroll.

“I was just trying to hopefully find a hole,” Canzone said. “I mean that ball was sinking a lot and it was definitely firm, so I was just trying to hit anything hard and try to find a hole. I was trying to get it in the air, but just a lot of sink, so just trying to hit anything hard and maybe get a little lucky. I did get a little lucky, so it worked out.”

There would be drama in the ninth with Lovullo electing to take out Kevin Ginkel, who struck out the side in the eighth and got the first batter of the ninth to fly out, in favor of Andrew Chafin.

Chafin allowed a triple, struck out José Caballero and walked J.P. Crawford before Lovullo had to bring in Scott McGough, who retired Julio Rodríguez to end the game.

Lovullo removed Ginkel because he had thrown 19 pitches and the skipper wanted a left-on-left matchup with Chafin and Cade Marlowe. He also figured by limiting Ginkel, his hottest reliever at the moment, to just 19 pitches, he would be available to pitch again Sunday.

“Probably a classic case of over-managing,” Lovullo said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to get out of the way, and I'll learn my lessons and just keep moving on.”