TEMPE — It’s Monday – but not just any Monday for the Arizona Cardinals – it’s officially game week.

The 2024 season has arrived for the Cardinals, and energy throughout the building couldn’t be higher.

“I actually told them that energy in the building is really good, but we got to focus our energy the right way. You know what I mean? Because if you don’t do that, then you might not being able to – you might not maximize what you need that energy for. So they’re locked into meetings right here, and we’re gonna have good practice today,” said Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon to reporters.

The Cardinals have seen a different approach under Gannon’s guidance since he first stepped foot in the desert last offseason.

Culture has been a massive point of emphasis for the new and improved Cardinals, and it starts with Gannon himself, who struts into every press conference with tempo and charisma.

“It’s not fake,” said new Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams on Gannon’s energy.

“There’s some guys who kind of fake the energy. I do not believe he’s faking the energy. I think it’s 100% real.”

Arizona previously went 4-13 in Gannon’s first year at the wheel, though the Cardinals played impressively well all things considered.

Now, with a healthy Kyler Murray and both sides of the ball retooled, the Cardinals look to make good on their potential.

Gannon sets the example and his players follow. To quote Jarvis Landry’s famous Hard Knocks rant: It’s contagious.

“Everybody else on the team – we know the mentality he (Gannon) has. So he’s instilling that in us and I just feel like you’re either going to match his standards or you won’t be here or you won’t be playing – one of the two,” Team captain Kyzir White said.

DT Roy Lopez added:

“When you come to meetings and he’s leading the meeting, you can feel him. You can feel him talk. He loves everything about football. He wants to win because he wants to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals that won.

“He wants to be that part of the team. So every day, you feel it in meetings, you’re just like, ‘golly.’”

The time for talk is nearly over, however. In almost a week’s time, the Cardinals will face a tall task in trying to upset the Buffalo Bills on the road to start the regular season.

“I see it in the locker room. I see how we practice. The see the demeanor of the players we got on this team – coaches too, top to bottom,” said White when asked what gives him confidence in the Cardinals.

“It’s our second year together, I just feel like we know each other better. Relationships got stronger. I feel like when those things happen, the product’s going to be better.”

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.