McCarthy secures D-backs' 5th straight win with walk-off knock

PHOENIX -- The D-backs trailed throughout Tuesday night’s game against the Rockies right up until the very end, but these days it seems they just can’t lose.

Jake McCarthy was the hero this time around as he managed to hit a 100 mph offering from Victor Vodnik on the ground and into left field to score a pair of runs as the D-backs walked off the Rockies, 4-3, at Chase Field.

The victory clinched the ninth straight series win for the D-backs, who have won 17 of their last 20 games and are tied for the lead atop the NL Wild Card standings.

“It's been awesome,” McCarthy said. “But, you know, we want to continue to improve on this and take this into September and the postseason.”

McCarthy’s hit will be the one they show on the highlights, but there were three big plate appearances that set him up for the heroics.

The Rockies led, 3-2, heading into the bottom of the ninth and Vodnik was able to retire the first batter before Corbin Carroll tripled to right.

Vodnik struck out Kevin Newman to put the Rockies one out away from a win, but pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo and Geraldo Perdomo managed to draw walks to load the bases.

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo referred to those as “team at-bats” and McCarthy acknowledged them as well.

“If they go 1-2-3, I don't hit,” he said. “So, I just think that's a testament to this team, and kind of the no quit [we have].”

McCarthy has been red hot as of late. Coming into the game, he led the NL in batting average since July 22 with a .409 mark.

“A really good matchup of two young players,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “McCarthy’s kind of settled in to being a guy the Diamondbacks are counting on, where he hit fifth in the lineup last night, hit second in the lineup today. He’s really swinging the bat great. And [Vodnik] has been throwing the ball really well, a rookie being thrust into the ninth inning and performing. That was a good battle.”

It wasn’t exactly how McCarthy drew things up when he stepped into the box.

“Just trying to get something good to hit,” McCarthy said. “Obviously, the pitch I hit wasn't that good of a pitch to hit -- 100 mph above the letters. But, I don't know, just trying to at least put it in play there. The guy's got a really good fastball, just trying to see it deep, and was able to flick one to left.”

It’s been quite a ride for McCarthy this year.

Coming into Spring Training, the D-backs' starting outfield of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Alek Thomas and Carroll seemed set and Arizona had signed free-agent outfielders Randal Grichuk and Joc Pederson to platoon at DH.

How McCarthy would get at-bats or whether he would even make the team was in question. But when Grichuk opened the year on the injured list and Thomas went down with an injury of his own in the season’s first week, McCarthy had a roster spot.

Playing time was another story, though, and he at times was the odd man out in the outfield.

That is until he started hitting and forced his way into an everyday role.

“That's the beauty of this game,” Lovullo said. “You go out there and you do your job, you're going to get rewarded with playing time. And you know, at times it was, I'm sure, a bumpy road for him, emotionally, trying to figure out where he stood, but he blocked out all that black noise.”