PHOENIX — Dansby Swanson’s three years at Vanderbilt prepared the Chicago Cubs shortstop for Saturday’s game-ending heroics.
Swanson recalls running through “every play under the sun all the time” while playing for Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin, still resonating 10 years into his big-league career. So when the Arizona Diamondbacks’ speedy Corbin Carroll softly hit a two-out one-hopper with runners on first and second base in the ninth inning, Swanson knew he didn’t have a shot to throw out Carroll.
Swanson didn’t concede the play, however, instead faking an off-balanced throw to first base before continuing his momentum toward third, where he immediately saw Diamondbacks pinch runner Garrett Hampson rounding too far around the base. He seized the opportunity, sprinting directly at Hampson, who tried to juke his way past Swanson.
Hampson’s effort was futile. A diving Swanson tagged him before Hampson’s own dive got him back to the bag, the heads-up play ending the game for a 4-3 Cubs win.
“The three words that I’ve used — experienced, instinctual, athletic — it was the definition of those three things,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It was just a brilliant play, and it’s a play in real time that, think about it, he’s thinking about that play before he catches the ball.”
Kyle Tucker slugged his first home run as a Cub, part of a three-hit, two-RBI night, Miguel Amaya clubbed another run-scoring double and Matt Shaw collected his first big-league home run in a pinch-hit spot. Left-hander Shota Imanaga held the Diamondbacks to one run and three hits in seven innings.
Swanson’s savvy sequence prevented the Diamondbacks from bringing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to the plate with the bases loaded.
“I’ve just kind of carried it since (Vanderbilt) and have done it a couple times in my career — stuff like that I’ve visualized, practiced, done a million times,” Swanson said. “There’s no play that happens that you haven’t visualized or prepared for. … It’s always thinking ahead and just being ready.”
Chase Field had been a cursed venue for the Cubs the last two years with multiple heartbreaking losses. Saturday felt eerily reminiscent as the Diamondbacks mounted a ninth-inning comeback.
Two batters into the ninth, Cubs killer Eugenio Suárez slugged a two-run home run off closer Ryan Pressly to pull the Diamondbacks within one. Following Gabriel Moreno’s single, Pressly was on the verge of competing the save by striking out Jake McCarthy and forcing Geraldo Perdomo to pop out when a five-pitch walk to Ketel Marte brought Carroll to the plate. Pressly jammed Carroll on a high, inside fastball, but he got enough of it to make it a tough ball for Swanson.
As Pressly tried to work through the jam, the veteran focused on not panicking, remaining calm and executing his pitches.
“I was pretty pumped,” Pressly said after his first save with the Cubs. “He’s a great defender, and he’s always got his head on a swivel. It was pretty fun to watch.”
Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered his own standout defensive play in the fourth inning of a tie game that played a role in helping Imanaga become only the fourth pitcher and first in the National League to throw seven innings in a start this season. Crow-Armstrong uncorked a 92.5-mph throw to nail a tagging-up Josh Naylor at third base that Gage Workman caught on the fly and got down the tag for the final out of the inning. Replay review overturned the initial safe call.
Earlier in the game, Swanson conveyed in a conversation with Crow-Armstrong to utilize the tools he has been given and not think too much how to best use them. That play was the ideal example.
“Knowing the runner, I mean, that was a long throw so I didn’t feel like I was going to overthrow the house,” Crow-Armstrong said. “So I just took a chance.”
Imanaga already had been mentally preparing for his pitch count to go up because of Naylor’s leadoff double and was surprised when he saw Crow-Armstrong throw him out. Tucker told Crow-Armstrong that Naylor was tagging up on the fly ball, allowing him to let it eat on the throw.
“It was kind of a nasty throw, just right on the money,” Tucker said. “You just had to catch it basically. It was awesome.”
The Diamondbacks didn’t have much of an answer against Imanaga, who allowed only one hit after the third inning. He navigated a tough spot in the second when back-to-back walks loaded the bases with one out. Imanaga allowed just one run on a groundout and was otherwise locked in. Through two starts, Imanaga has allowed one run in 11 innings.
“In my head, I was thinking six innings, but after talking to Craig, I’m really appreciative him, he really pushed me to go out in the seventh, and I was able to go deep in that game,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “For a series with four games, I’m glad I was able to go that extra inning to give everybody else a rest.”
