The Arizona Diamondbacks have pulled it off, making it back to the World Series for the first time in over two decades after shocking the Philadelphia Phillies in a wild seven-game NLCS. Arizona seemed dead in the water after losing the first two games at Citizens Bank Park, but they stayed alive in Arizona and silenced Philly’s bats in a pair of impressive wins in Games 6 and 7. Now they get to play on the game’s biggest stage, so let’s look at the D-backs’ history in the World Series and their last trip to the Fall Classic.
Diamondbacks World Series history
Arizona has reached the World Series exactly once in franchise history — a franchise history that admittedly only dates back to 1998. The Snakes were almost immediately competitive upon entry into the league, winning 100 games and reaching the NLDS in their second season of existence. It wasn’t until 2001, however, that they would really make their mark on the Majors.
With aces Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling leading the way — those two both hit the 250-inning mark in 2001, while no other D-backs pitcher threw more than 133.2 — Arizona won 92 games and the NL West. An all-time performance from Schilling in a do-or-die Game 5 got them past the Cardinals in the NLDS, and they rolled the Braves in five games in the NLCS to capture their first-ever pennant. Their reward? A date with the New York Yankees, looking to win their fourth straight World Series title.
Johnson and Schilling aside, no one gave Arizona much of a chance; these were the Yankees, after all, and no one beat the Yankees in October. But the D-backs proved game, taking the first two games in the desert and nearly running away with things were it not for consecutive extra-inning miracles from New York in Games 4 and 5. Johnson led a Game 6 blowout to keep hope alive, but Alfonso Soriano’s late homer in Game 7 put the Yankees three outs away from a four-peat — with the legendary Mariano Rivera on the mound to close things out. You may recall how that went.
Luis Gonzalez’s bloop over a drawn-in infield scored the game- and series-winning run, and Arizona had completed among the more remarkable runs in baseball history.
The years since have not been quite as kind. Arizona got swept in the NLDS the next year and wouldn’t make it back to the postseason again until 2007, when they lost to the Rocktober Rockies in the NLCS. In the 15 years since, the D-backs have posted just five winning records, making the playoffs just twice — and losing in the first round both times. This season, though, Corbin Carroll and Co. have turned things around, going from preseason also-rans to surprise Wild Cards to NL party-crashers. Can they finish the job against the Rangers? We’ll begin to find out starting in Game 1 on Friday night, with first pitch from Globe Life Park in Arlington set for 8:03 p.m. ET.
