Thu Sep 25 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Diamondbacks Rally for Dramatic Walk-Off, Wild Card Hopes Still Alive

**PHOENIX, AZ -** The Arizona Diamondbacks kept their playoff dreams burning bright Tuesday night with a thrilling 5-4 walk-off victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Geraldo Perdomo’s two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning secured the win, scoring Tim Tawa and igniting the Chase Field crowd.

The victory, coupled with a New York Mets win and a Cincinnati Reds loss, puts the Diamondbacks in a tie with the Reds, both teams now just one game behind the Mets for the final National League Wild Card spot with only five games remaining in the regular season. While Arizona holds the tiebreaker over the Mets, they do not have the advantage against Cincinnati.

The Dodgers initially held a commanding lead thanks to a stellar performance by Shohei Ohtani, who pitched six shutout innings, allowing only five hits and striking out eight. The Diamondbacks, however, stuck to their pre-game plan of driving up Ohtani’s pitch count, forcing his exit after just 91 pitches.

The D-backs began to mount their comeback in the seventh when James McCann doubled home a run off Dodgers reliever Jack Dreyer. A crucial strategic move by Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo saw Adrian Del Castillo pinch-hit for Jordan Lawlar after a pitching change and launch a two-run homer, pulling Arizona within one run.

The ninth inning saw the Dodgers turn to struggling closer Tanner Scott. A hit batter and a walk put runners on first and second with no outs. Veteran catcher James McCann, given the bunt sign, surprised many by bunting on a 1-2 count, moving both runners into scoring position. Jorge Barrosa then tied the game with a sacrifice fly, setting the stage for Perdomo’s game-winning heroics.

“I believe that there are certain guys that I’ve played with in my career that when they come up to the plate in a big spot, that I wouldn’t want anyone else being in that opportunity,” McCann said of Perdomo.

With five games left to play, the Diamondbacks have injected life back into their playoff aspirations. The race for the final Wild Card spot promises to be a nail-biting finish.

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