PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks forced the Los Angeles Dodgers to admit defeat less than three innings into Sunday’s 14-3 victory, giving themselves a chance to salvage a four-game split and win the season series on Monday.

Los Angeles pulled stars Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez in the third after the D-backs put up an eight-run second inning to blow the game open.

The Diamondbacks (77-60) had fallen to six games behind Los Angeles (82-55) after frustrating losses on Friday and Saturday. Now, another D-backs win on Monday would keep L.A.’s National League West lead within four games with the tiebreaker in Arizona’s hands.

“I’m not saying it was a must-win game, but it was a very, very important game,” manager Torey Lovullo said.

“We know the standings. We’re following it. We’re chasing the Dodgers, all that stuff, but what impresses me most is our ability to block that out, go out, execute and win the game the way we did today. It’s no errors. It’s Brandon Pfaadt staying locked in and almost giving us a quality start despite the the risk of letting things wander. Our focus was right. Those are the things that stand out to me.”

Torey Lovullo was pleased with the Diamondbacks’ execution in the win over the Dodgers.

“Our focus was right.” pic.twitter.com/Z0Zpk3MEoh

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 2, 2024

Brandon Pfaadt gives Diamondbacks needed start vs. Dodgers

After Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly each allowed five runs over the first two innings on Friday and Saturday, Pfaadt effectively shut down the Dodgers early. Pfaadt began his outing with three scoreless innings and seven strikeouts, punching out Dodgers superstars Shohei Ohtani, Betts and Freeman in order during the third.

“I think it was kind of similar to (Philadelphia) last year, that’s kind of the feeling that it was,” Pfaadt said. “We know these games are important. With what happened the last two days, I think shutting them down in that first inning was important and certainly an aspect of going into the game being aggressive and trying to limit damage.”

Pfaadt threw 5.2 scoreless innings against the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS as a rookie with the D-backs trailing 2-0 in the series.

On Sunday, he allowed one earned run through five innings before the Dodgers scratched a couple in the sixth. Pfaadt finished with 5.2 innings and three earned runs, nearly earning a quality start for the first time Aug. 7. The right-hander struck out 10 batters.

Brandon Pfaadt, K’ing the Side in the 3rd.

7Ks thru 3. pic.twitter.com/QwEfWTcLyl

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 1, 2024

It was a stopper-type performance after the Dodgers gave Gallen and Kelly trouble, as this time the offense was able to break out a significant lead instead of having to mount comebacks.

Chase Field was packed with more than 46,000 fans for the third straight game, and Pfaadt said he loves pitching in that playoff-like environment.

“I think that just gives you a little extra motivation to go out there and do your job and gives you some fire to go out there and be aggressive,” Pfaadt said. “Regardless if there’s 2,000 people or 40,000, we’re trying to do the same job. But it’s a little easier when you get the fans behind you.”

Brandon Pfaadt said the feeling going into Sunday’s big win over Dodgers reminded him of Game 3 of the NLCS vs. Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/eQISz1nWYk

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 1, 2024

Joe Mantiply vs. Shohei Ohtani

Lovullo pulled Pfaadt with Ohtani coming up in a 9-3 game to insert Joe Mantiply.

Mantiply has been Arizona’s version of an Ohtani-stopper this season, as Ohtani is 1-for-9 against Mantiply with three strikeouts. Mantiply has faced Ohtani in three straight games and retired him thrice. And the swings did not look comfortable.

“I can’t help but think every time Ohtani comes up, he’s gonna hit a ball over the fence,” Lovullo said. “I wanted to keep it at 9-3 because I didn’t want to have to go into our leverage relievers. I was going to sacrifice Mantiply, who threw three days in a row. He’s done it before, against this very team, and I felt like he would have success.”

Randal Grichuk leads Diamondbacks’ rally

The Diamondbacks scored their eight runs with seven hits in the second inning. Randal Grichuk started it off with a double and capped it with the home run off Dodgers southpaw starter Justin Wrobleski.

Grichuk, Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll, Josh Bell, Eugenio Suarez and Kevin Newman all had multi-hit days, as the D-backs finished with 17 knocks. Carroll set the franchise record by reaching base safely for a 40th straight start.

Lovullo credited Grichuk for turning the page after Friday. Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw exited that game with injury, and Lovullo pinch hit the left-handed Joc Pederson for Grichuk in only the second inning. Grichuk has been a platoon bat all year, but with limited matchups against lefties, he only received 39 plate appearances in August.

“There’s been a lot of ups and downs. Not playing every day is tough, so you have to stay mentally in a place where I’d say you’re okay with not producing but not beating yourself up,” Grichuk said. “Playing a couple times a week is a tough role in this game. Pitchers are nasty. If you’re not getting those every day at-bats, it’s tough. … Just got to go up there with confidence. When the mechanics are clicking, games like today happen.”

Randal Grichuk – Arizona Diamondbacks (6)
pic.twitter.com/SNWLmAaCJV

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) September 1, 2024

“I know he’s hungry to play more,” Lovullo said. “But, and what I’ve said to him recently, in the model we have, this is his role. This is what he does best to help us win games.”

Checking in on Arizona’s designated hitter production, the position accounted for a .900 OPS ahead of Grichuk’s Sunday. That ranked third in MLB behind Los Angeles and Atlanta. Last year, before Grichuk and Pederson signed as free agents, it was .678, which ranked 27th.

Diamondbacks-Dodgers finale

The final meeting between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers this season starts at 1:10 p.m. on Labor Day Monday.

Arizona will send left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (5.06 ERA) to the hill, while Los Angeles gives the ball to right-hander Jack Flaherty (3.07). The season series is 6-6.

Catch the season series finale on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.

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TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Leavitt threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns, Cam Skattebo and DeCarlos Brooks both ran for a touchdown and Arizona State won its first football game as a member of the Big 12, beating Wyoming 48-7 on Saturday night.

The Sun Devils scored a defensive touchdown just 41 seconds into the game when Zyrus Fiaseu picked off Wyoming’s Evan Svoboda and ran 29 yards to the end zone. The Sun Devils didn’t force a turnover last season until their fourth game.

“The play call was right and I did my job,” Fiaseu said. “When you do your job and execute, good things happen.”

Svoboda threw another interception less than five minutes later. This time, it was Keyshaun Elliott who grabbed the errant pass and ran 18 yards to the Wyoming 42. The Sun Devils capitalized on the good field position with a 29-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead.

Arizona State — which finished with a 3-9 record last season — had a 17-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and a 27-0 advantage at halftime.

The Sun Devils outgained the Cowboys 499-118.

“We played hard,” Skattebo said. “That was a different team. You saw it. We felt more comfortable on the sidelines. I got taken out with eight minutes left in the third quarter — that’s a good feeling.”

Leavitt, a Michigan State transfer, played well in his first career start, completing 14 of 22 passes. He beat out senior Jeff Sims for the starting job during preseason camp.

“I didn’t do anything special tonight,” Leavitt said. “Just got the ball to my playmakers and let them make plays with great results.”

Svoboda completed 6 of 15 passes for 42 yards and had the two early interceptions. He also made an errant throw on a lateral that was picked up by Arizona State’s Justin Wodtly and returned six yards for a touchdown.

It was a rough homecoming for Svoboda, who played his high school football in suburban Phoenix, about 20 miles from Arizona State’s campus. Wyoming managed just 51 total yards though three quarters.

The Cowboys avoided a shutout when Kaden Anderson threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Chris Durr with two seconds remaining. Wyoming averaged just 2.3 yards per play.

“We’ve got to get a lot better, obviously, as a football team,” Cowboys coach Jay Sawvel said. “Fortunately for us, it counts for one. Even if it feels like it should count as four or five.”

The takeaway

Wyoming: Sawvel’s first game as head coach of the Cowboys was a rough one. He took over for the retired Craig Bohl, who led the program for 10 years. Svoboda’s early jitters were a big problem, but far from the only one. It’s just one game, but the Cowboys didn’t look like a team ready to compete for a Mountain West title.

Arizona State: It was an encouraging night for the Sun Devils, who were eager to put last year’s injury-plagued season behind them. Second-year coach Kenny Dillingham appears to have more talent at several positions, but a bigger test comes next weekend when they host an SEC opponent in Mississippi State.

Up next

Wyoming: Hosts Idaho next Saturday.

Arizona State: Hosts Mississippi State next Saturday.

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals aren’t quite on the national radar when it comes to interest ahead of the 2024 season.

The Cardinals typically are overlooked as a west coast team that’s historically underachieved, though the presence of No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. should bring plenty more eyes to the desert.

The Athletic recently listed Harrison in their list of 24 intriguing players for the 2024 season, placing him at No. 11:

“Committed to seeing 2019 No. 1 pick Kyler Murray live up to his potential as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, the Cardinals used their top pick on Harrison — one of the most polished wide receiver prospects to enter the NFL in some time,” wrote Mike Jones.

“The son of Hall of Famer and Indianapolis Colts great Marvin Harrison will be asked to restore explosiveness to a Cardinals team that mustered only 19.4 points a game last season and has just one winning season in the last eight years.”

Full list:

1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Patrick Mahomes
3. Caleb Williams
4. Lamar Jackson
5. Kirk Cousins
6. CJ Stroud
7. Dak Prescott
8. Justin Jefferson
9. Deshaun Watson
10. Malik Nabers
11. Marvin Harrison Jr.
12. Gardner Minshew
13. Anthony Richardson
14. Bryce Young
15. Jalen Hurts
16. Saquon Barkley
17. Jordan Love
18. Tua Tagovailoa
19. Chris Jones
20. Micah Parsons
21. Keon Coleman
22. Russell Wilson
23. L’Jarious Sneed
24. T.J. Watt

Harrison has impressed since the moment he stepped foot in Arizona.

“Obviously, he’s more advanced in that he’s almost been groomed to do this since a young age,” Cqrdinals wide receivers coach Drew Terrell said via ESPN.

“Since the first conversation I ever had with him in pre-draft process, he’s been a pro. He knows what the expectation is. He’s very hard on himself and knows what to expect of himself.”

Harrison will handle WR1 duties immediately after a strong training camp (he didn’t play in preseason) where he impressed in nearly every outing possible.

If Harrison can match expectations, he’ll be a show-stopper every Sunday for the Cardinals.

He’ll get his first opportunity in Week 1 when the Cardinals travel to play the Buffalo Bills.