Diamondbacks Comeback Falls Short in Epic Eighth Inning Battle

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Arizona Diamondbacks experienced a rollercoaster of emotions on Friday at Wrigley Field, ultimately falling to the Chicago Cubs 13-11 after a chaotic eighth inning that produced ten runs for Arizona but wasn’t enough to secure victory.

With the Diamondbacks trailing 2-1 at the seventh-inning stretch, fans witnessed an hour of baseball madness, featuring 21 total runs and five home runs. The Cubs had initially surged ahead with an Ian Happ grand slam, but the Diamondbacks responded spectacularly in the eighth with 10 runs, only to see the Cubs retake the lead.

“It was a wild game,” said Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. “We put ourselves in a great position, but we couldn’t hold on.”

The Diamondbacks rallied back by sending 13 batters to the plate. Eugenio Suárez ignited the surge with a towering 458-foot grand slam, cutting the lead to 7-5. Shortly after, a series of hits, including a three-run homer by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., pushed Arizona ahead 11-7.

“It’s at times like these that we truly show our character as a team,” Suárez said. “We fought hard.”

However, the celebration was short-lived. The Chicago bullpen, which seemed vulnerable earlier in the game, struck back against Arizona’s pitching. The Diamondbacks did not deploy their elite relievers, a decision that haunted them when Bryce Jarvis and Joe Mantiply struggled to contain the Cubs.

Jarvis allowed two runners on before manager Lovullo turned to Mantiply, who had struggled significantly this season. Mantiply faced a flurry of Cubs hitters, yielding multiple runs, including a homer from Kyle Tucker that put the Cubs back in the lead.

The Cubs’ offense struck for six runs in the inning, solidifying their response after falling behind. The game marked a significant milestone for the Cubs, who became the seventh team in 125 years of MLB history to win after conceding ten runs in a single inning.

Despite the loss, the Diamondbacks had their moments, including a solid performance from starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, who managed to strike out three batters and allowed two earned runs throughout six innings.

“I was proud of how we battled back, but we need to tighten things up for the next games,” Burnes said.

The matchup highlighted contrasting fortunes for key players. While Suárez and Gurriel delivered crucial hits, the Diamondbacks’ top pitchers rest during critical game scenarios. The decision not to use Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, and Jalen Beeks, who had pitched in previous games, raised eyebrows among analysts and fans alike.

The rubber match in this series is set for Saturday, with pitcher Zac Gallen representing the Diamondbacks against Chicago’s Ben Brown. The game will be aired at 11:20 a.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. Both teams are competing for crucial National League postseason positioning, making each win a potentially game-changing moment as the season progresses.