D-Backs shock Phillies in Game 7, reach 1st World Series since 2001

The Arizona Diamondbacks stunned the Philadelphia Phillies with a 4-2 victory in Game 7 of the NLCS on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park to advance to the Fall Classic.

The D-Backs are off to their first World Series since winning a title in 2001. They will face the Texas Rangers starting Friday at Globe Life Field.

"For the entire state of Arizona, for this organization that's had a lot of hardships over the past 36, 48 months for us to be where we are right now, it was a good moment," D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said.

"I allowed myself to go there. I tried not to because it's a dangerous thought because you can be let down emotionally. But when it finally happened and I saw the fly ball go up, it was a pretty euphoric feeling. We're adrenaline junkies. It's in and out of that moment. And when it hits a high and you feel it, it's a flush through your body, and it gets no better."

NL Rookie of the Year favorite Corbin Carroll led the way with three hits, two RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases, while 23-year-old catcher Gabriel Moreno went 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI in the fifth inning. Meanwhile, six D-Backs pitchers limited the Phillies to two runs on just five hits.

Ketel Marte was named NLCS MVP after slashing .387/.406/.581 with 12 hits and three RBIs. He also has a 16-game playoff hit streak dating back to 2017, which is a new record to start a postseason career.

Arizona's 84 wins during the regular season are the third fewest for a pennant winner in the World Series era (excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign). Only the 1973 New York Mets (82 wins) and 2006 St. Louis Cardinals (83) registered fewer victories.

"I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again: A connected team is a very dangerous team," Lovullo said. "No matter what happened in those times of crisis, these guys stuck together."

The Phillies stormed out to a commanding 2-0 series lead, but the D-Backs won four of the next five contests, including the last two in Philadelphia.

Star sluggers Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos went a combined 1-for-15 for the Phillies in Game 7.

Arizona accrued a minus-15 run differential during the regular season and will attempt to become the second team in MLB history to win a World Series after being outscored entering the postseason.

The D-Backs' stunning playoff run comes after they lost 110 games in 2021.