How the D-backs can pass the Phillies for the final NL Wild Card spot

Exactly one week ago, it sure felt as if the Diamondbacks' postseason hopes were slipping away from them.

But ever since a series-opening loss to the Yankees last Friday, Arizona suddenly cannot lose. The D-backs have rattled off five straight wins -- including a sweep of the Rockies earlier this week -- to stay afloat, improbably, in the National League Wild Card race.

The Snakes, as they say, are alive.

The D-backs (85-74) will hand the ball to Brandon Pfaadt to begin a season-defining three-game series with the Padres on Friday night (9:40 p.m. ET). They are two games behind the Phillies (87-72) for the final NL Wild Card spot. Crucially, Arizona would also win a tiebreaker between the teams. (The two teams split their six head-to-head meetings this year, but the D-backs have a superior intra-divisional record, which is the second tiebreaker).

Here's what it would take for the D-backs to make the playoffs.

How can the D-backs win the last Wild Card spot?

• If they go 3-0 and the Phillies go 1-2 or 0-3
• If they go 2-1 and the Phillies go 0-3

The first thing to emphasize is that Arizona does not control its own destiny. The Phillies are hosting the Rays for a three-game series, with left-hander Cristopher Sánchez getting the ball in Friday's series opener. If Philadelphia wins two of the three games, then they will secure a postseason berth for a fifth consecutive season.

But if the Phillies continue to stumble -- they have lost two in a row and are 5-5 in their last 10 games -- then the door is ajar. At minimum, Arizona has to take two out of three games from San Diego; the two clubs have split the 10 head-to-head matchups this season.

To complicate matters even more, a Nor'easter is descending on the East Coast this weekend. While Boston is expected to bear the brunt of the storm, the outer edges are forecasted to bring heavy rain to Philadelphia on Saturday and Sunday. That could make it difficult for the Phillies to play their games as scheduled on Saturday night (7:15 p.m ET) and Sunday afternoon (3:05 p.m. ET). But if the D-backs continue to win, these games will most certainly matter -- and thus must be played.

There's plenty more at stake in the NL Wild Card race, too. San Diego and Chicago have each punched their ticket to the playoffs, but neither has secured its seed. In fact, it's possible that all three Wild Card teams -- in this scenario, the Padres, Cubs and Phillies -- wind up in a three-way tie.