Sep 24, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; The Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after defeating the Miami Marlins 3-2 and earning a play-off spot at Chase Field. Photo Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
PHOENIX — Arizona right fielder J.D. Martinez singled in the winning run with two outs in the last of the ninth inning and the Diamondbacks clinched their first National League playoff appearance since 2011 with a 3-2 victory over the Miami Marlins at Chase Field on Sunday.
Chris Herrmann walked to open the ninth inning off Justin Nicolino (2-3) and pinch-hitter Kris Negron reached on a sacrifice bunt as Herrmann took third on Nicolino’s throwing error to first. David Peralta was intentionally walked.
The Marlins got two forceouts at the plate before Martinez drove in his 40th run in 58 games with Arizona.
The Diamondbacks (90-66) clinched the top wild-card berth at 2:04 p.m. Mountain time, when Milwaukee lost to the Cubs. St. Louis had lost earlier. The Diamondbacks will host the one-game wild-card playoff game Oct. 4.
Arizona will make its first appearance in a wild-card game and its sixth playoff appearance. Arizona won the NL West in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2011 and won the World Series in 2001.
Fernando Rodney (5-4) struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the victory.
Arizona tied the game in the eighth inning when Paul Goldschmidt singled, took second on left fielder Marcel Ozuna’s fielding error and scored on Daniel Descalso’s one-out single to tie the game at 2.
With six games to play, Arizona has made a 21-game improvement from 2016. General manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo were hired after a 69-93 season.
Arizona left-hander Patrick Corbin gave up five hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four, one intentionally.
Miami right-hander Dan Straily gave up four hits and one run in six innings. He struck out nine and walked three.
Straily doubled with one out in the third inning and scored on Giancarlo Stanton’s two-out single to make it 1-0. Stanton was thrown out by center fielder A.J. Pollock while attempting to stretch it to a double.
Stanton had six RBIs in the three-game series and has 126 this season, extending his franchise record. Preston Wilson had the previous record, 121, in 2000.
Corbin had the Diamondbacks’ first hit, a triple with one out in the third inning, but did not score.
Marlins third baseman Brian Anderson hit a two-out double after two Corbin walks for a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Herrmann hit his 10th homer of the season to break up Straily’s shutout in the fifth inning. He is the 10th Diamondbacks player with double-digit homers this season.
NOTES: Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton is the first NL player with at least 30 doubles, 50 homers and 125 RBIs since the offensive explosion of 2001, when San Francisco’s Barry Bonds, Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez and the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa did it. Bonds was the MVP that year. … SS/OF Chris Owings (finger) is being considered as a pinch-runner for the NL wild-card game, manager Torey Lovullo said. Owings is not expected to be able to play in the field until at least the NLDS, if the D-backs get that far. … Arizona RHP Randall Delgado (flexor tendon strain) will receive platelet-rich plasma injection Thursday, manager Torey Lovullo said. Delgado, diagnosed two weeks ago, is expected to be ready for spring training. … D-backs players and coaches came out of the dugout to tip caps and applaud the fans when their wild-card clinch was announced in the middle of the fourth inning. … Home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg left the game in the top of the eighth inning after being struck in the back of the head on Ketel Marte’s backswing as the last batter of the seventh inning. James Hoye moved from first base to home plate.
