Nolan Arenado sparked a dramatic ninth-inning rally against the St. Louis Cardinals, delivering a clutch RBI double to secure a pivotal Arizona Diamondbacks victory in his high-stakes return to Busch Stadium.
While Arizona Diamondbacks star Nolan Arenado made it very clear this wasn't a "revenge game," it sure had to have felt good to record such a big hit in the ninth inning against his former team.
All seven combined runs in the Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals game took place in the ninth inning.
Arenado got things started with an RBI double in a grueling seven-pitch at-bat.
Later, Arenado came around to score in what would be one of the game's deciding runs. Sure, St. Louis put up a three-spot in the ninth, but it was too little too late for the Cardinals.
Arenado Hypes Himself Up
The 35-year-old got ahead 2-0, but his former teammate, Matt Svanson, recorded a strike and got Arenado to foul one off to even the count, 2-2. Arenado fouled a second consecutive one off before watching an 87-mph sweeper go by for ball three.
With the count full, Arenado crushed a 98 mph sinker to left field for a double which drove in the first run of the game.
After the win, Arenado recapped his thrilling ninth-inning at-bat against Svanson. "It’s a really tough arm," Arenado said. "It’s heavy sink with a sweeper. It’s not an easy at-bat for a righty. To be honest, that was probably one of my best at-bats I’ve had all year.”
Arenado Sets the Record Straight
Not only Diamondbacks fans, but Cardinals fans also knew how much this meant for Arenado to return to Busch Stadium. Arizona fell in game one 3-2, despite Arenado having an RBI, but he made sure his RBI in the second game of the series didn't go to waste.
Now, all eyes are on the rubber game, but Arenado set the record straight as to how much these games truly mean to him.
"It’s not really a revenge game for me," he said. "I have a lot of respect for this place. I didn’t leave on that note, right? It was a different note, different feelings, but I didn’t leave on that note. It could be a hit off my mom. If we’re taking the lead, I’m freaking stoked, you know?”
At the end of the day, a win is a win. Manager Torey Lovullo touched on momentum after the win, and he believes Arizona is starting to put everything together.
Sure, the Diamondbacks may still be 10.5 games back in the National League West, but the All-Star break approaching only means there's still a full second half of baseball to be played.
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