Recaps

[Arizona Sports] D-backs capture series win vs. Reds amid tight wild card race - “We came into the series with some fire,” Carroll said. “We knew it was gonna be a big series. They’re right in the hunt. They’re a good team. To be able to come out of it with with three wins, it’s gonna bring good momentum carrying into L.A.” Lourdes Gurriel Jr. delivered the game-tying solo home run in the seventh inning, a moment manager Torey Lovullo said energized the dugout with the score 2-2. Gurriel’s shot was his 20th of the year, giving the D-backs four players with at least 20 home runs — Gurriel, Carroll, Christian Walker and Ketel Marte. It is the first time they’ve had four players do so since 2016.

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks grind out runs, complete key series win over Reds - As he has since debuting, Cecconi mixed in the occasional slider and curveball, but leaned heavily on a fastball that major league hitters cannot seem to barrel up. “I've been locating it well, in/out, up/down, wherever it seems like there's space open for it,” Cecconi said. “Locating it well as long as I get ahead with it, too. Not falling behind guys. When you fall behind guys, it's a lot easier to hit. So getting strike one, getting strike two as quick as possible with that pitch gives a lot less room for those guys to take hacks.”

[SI] Late Surge Propels D-backs to Fifth Consecutive Series Win - "We have a culture here that's built on resiliency, adaptability, and just focus, effort, and preparation," said D-backs manager Torey Lovullo. "I'm extremely proud of this group, the belief they have in one another. That clubhouse is extremely connected, and when they remain that way they can do some pretty powerful things." That resiliency was on full display once again, as the D-backs scored four runs between the seventh and eighth inning. In all three of their wins in the series, they've put up a crooked number in the eighth."I think it's just engagement at the right time, and we're assessing what's going on and we get a targeted reaction to something" said Lovullo.

Team news

[SI] What are the Diamondbacks’ Upcoming September Giveaways? - To celebrate the many wonderful Hispanic cultures that make up the valley, the D-backs are going to be dedicating a whole weekend to them. On Saturday, the 16th, the Diamondbacks are giving out 15,000 Serpientes hats that will go QUICK. They are custom-made in black and tan with the Serpientes snake logo on the front. They will go extremely fast and sell out quickly. Make sure you get there extremely early to snag one of these. There will also be special themes and events for all of the Hispanic cultures that make up baseball and Phoenix throughout the weekend.

[Larry Brown Sports] Diamondbacks pitcher gets DFA'd day after game-losing gaffe - Nabil Crismatt barely even got to shower after Saturday’s game before finding himself off the 40-man roster. The Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Crismatt committed a brutal mistake in extra innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. With the game tied 7-7 in the 11th inning and a Cincinnati “ghost runner” on third base, Crismatt was called for a balk during a TJ Hopkins at-bat. The balk allowed the go-ahead run to score from third, and Arizona would go on to lose 8-7. [In the video] you can see a clear start-and-stop of Crismatt’s pitching motion with his right hand.

[Arizona Sports] With a tale of two teams, fans saw the good D-backs on Sunday - The Diamondbacks are two baseball teams: One of them is youthful and exhilarating and the other is inexperienced and flawed. They battle each other on a daily basis. One of them will prevail in the end. On Sunday, the Valley celebrated the good Diamondbacks — a team that celebrated a pivotal 5-2 victory over the Reds at Chase Field, extending their lead to 1.5 games over the team chasing them in the Wild Card standings. It marked the end to a wild series, and what is shaping up to be one of the strangest months in team history. The Diamondbacks fell out of favor and contention with a nine-game losing streak to inaugurate August. Left for dead, they have responded by winning 10 of their past 12.

And, elsewhere...

[CBS Sports] Oakland A’s become first team eliminated from MLB playoff contention - On the back end of the one of the worst team seasons in Major League Baseball history, the Oakland A's were eliminated from postseason contention for 2023 this weekend. The A's, at 38-92, are 34.5 games out of a playoff spot with 32 games to play. The A's had previously been knocked out of the AL West race with a 12-1 loss to the Orioles on Aug. 20. That marked the earliest in franchise history that the team had been eliminated in the division race.

[Reddit] What’s the most “NSFW” sign you’ve seen at a baseball game? - I am pleased to report that the current most-popular answer is, '2001 World Series a D'backs fan had a sign that said "it takes more than 9 yanks to beat our Johnson"'. Warning: take the NSFW tag seriously. That said, I was amused by “Justin Verlander for Comeback Player of the Year”. Explanation, if needed, in the comments at the link.

[TWSN] Matt McLain Should Win Rookie of the Year - Editorial comment: Hahahahahahaha

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Rating: C-

Dir: Ben Wheatley

Star: Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Shuya Sophia Cai, Sergio Peris-Mencheta

Save yourself approximately a hour and fifty minutes, and just watch the trailer. If ever there was a case where all the good stuff can be found in the coming attraction, this would be it. I’ll admit I raised a quizzical eyebrow when I heard Wheatley was going to be the director. His filmography is full of stuff like Kill List, small-scale and off-beat. It’s difficult to think of some studio executive watching A Field in England, and going “That’s just the man we need for our $130 million prehistoric shark movie!” The results prove concerns justified. I suspect Wheatley thought the whole thing was an elaborate prank, and kept playing along, until finally realizing it was for real at the premiere.

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