PHOENIX -- It was a veritable Easter egg hunt for the D-backs to find that one decisive blow that would push them into the win column on Sunday. It finally came on the first pitch in the bottom of the 10th in the form of a Ketel Marte 109.1 mph rocket, giving the club their first walk-off win of the season, a 6-5 victory over the Braves.
Marte, who achieved 10 years of Major League service time Friday, teamed with Corbin Carroll to provide five hits atop the Arizona batting order.
“I just tried to have a good at-bat for my team,” Marte said on the D-backs’ postgame show. “I’ve been hitting the ball hard. That’s me right there.”
The D-backs got another mixed bag effort from their bullpen. Taylor Clarke, Ryan Thompson and Kevin Ginkel didn’t allow a run to set up Jonathan Loáisiga for a ninth-inning save. While Loáisiga couldn’t shut the door, he limited the damage to force extra innings, where Taylor Rashi spun a scoreless 10th frame in his own right.
All told, the club finishes with a 5-2 opening stand, having split the four-game set with the Braves after sweeping the Tigers earlier in the week.
“I think this team is pretty confident innately,” manager Torey Lovullo said before the game. “I think they believe in one another and they know that we're going to win some games, but when you get that validation by wins and losses, it only enhances what you already think.
“We have been playing good baseball, but offensively, we have not come close to hitting our stride -- and we will. It's just a matter of time in my opinion.”