Rookie star Corbin Carroll hits 1st grand slam, Diamondbacks pound Tigers 11-6

By: Dave Hogg, The Associated Press Posted: 8:44 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 9, 2023 Last Modified: 9:33 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 9, 2023

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DETROIT (AP) — Arizona rookie Corbin Carroll hit his first grand slam in a seven-run seventh inning for his second homer of the night and the Arizona Diamondbacks handed the Detroit Tigers their seventh straight loss, 11-6 on Friday.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/06/2023 (878 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Carroll also doubled in the ninth. On Wednesday night in a 6-2 victory in Washington in NL West-leading Arizona’s previous game, the speedy outfielder was 4 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs. He’s hitting .307.

“It seems like he’s picking up firsts every night, and we’re enjoying getting to watch,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “He believes he’s going to be successful and he doesn’t care what stadium, what pitcher and what team we’re playing against. He’s just playing his game and it has translated into some big moments.”

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll is greeted at home plate by Pavin Smith, Ketel Marte (4), and Jose Herrera after his grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Carroll is the first Arizona rookie with 10 total bases since A.J. Pollock on April 10, 2013.

“I can’t say I woke up this morning expecting this,” Carroll said.

Merrill Kelly (8-3) improved to 7-0 in his last six starts, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

Jake Rogers homered twice for Detroit, and Javier Báez homered in the ninth.

“We did some good things late in the game, and it was good to see Jake and Javy get those homers,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s hard to take many positives out of an 11-6 game, though.”

The game was tied at 2 after six innings, with Carroll’s grand slam capping the seven-run seventh.

Christian Walker and Emmanuel Rivera led off the seventh with doubles, giving Arizona a 3-2 lead. After a sacrifice bunt, Jake McCarthy punched a single over the drawn-in infield to put make it 4-2.

“(Rivera) is a young guy making the most of his opportunity,” Lovullo said. “That double was really the game-winning RBI and then he scored the fourth run to give us some momentum.”

Arizona loaded the bases with two out, and Will Vest walked Ketel Marte to force in the fifth run. Carroll then hit a 2-2 fastball down the left-field line for his 13th homer to give Arizona a 9-2 lead.

“I was late on a couple pitches, but I was able to foul them off,” he said. “I finally got one I could hit, but I lost it off the bat, so I was afraid it was going to go foul again.”

Michael Lorenzen (2-3) gave up six runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.

“Michael was really throwing the ball well, and even when they got the two doubles, we were fine,” Hinch said. “But we just couldn’t get the inning to end. They put together some good at-bats, but the walk to Marte really hurt.

“That sets up Carroll, and he’s a star in the making.”

The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the first on Carroll’s homer, and made it 2-0 on Geraldo Perdomo’s RBI single in the second.

Zack Short’s RBI double made it 2-1 in the bottom of the second, and Short’s 395-foot sacrifice fly tied it in the sixth.

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Miguel Castro (50) shakes hands with catcher Jose Herrera (11) after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

“I kept running and when I checked the wall, I was nowhere near it,” McCarthy said. “This is what playing in the Polo Grounds must have been like – this is a big center field.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

The Tigers activated OF Kerry Carpenter (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list and optioned UTL Tyler Nevin to Triple-A Toledo. Carpenter, Detroit’s best power hitter, had four homers in 69 at-bats before his injury on April 27. … Detroit OF Akil Baddoo left the game with a right quadriceps injury trying to beat out a groundball in the fourth. Hinch said Baddoo was undergoing tests after the game.

TOUGH GAME

Rogers was called for catcher’s interference twice, the second one wiping out a Detroit double play.

“We thought the first one was going to be overturned, but it looks like the bat might have hit the strings,” Hinch said. “Obviously, getting two in a game is unusual.”

AIR QUALITY

Detroit has also been dealing with smoke issues because of the Canadian wildfires, and the Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 129 — unhealthy for sensitive groups — at the first pitch.

UP NEXT

The teams are set to Saturday, with Detroit’s Matthew Boyd (3-4, 4.57) facing Ryne Nelson (2-3, 5.40).

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