PHOENIX - Pavin Smith waited on the bench until the ninth, then ended the night with one swing that pulled Arizona back into the wild-card conversation.
Smith, pinch-hitting after Ildemaro Vargas walked to open the ninth, drove a two-run homer into the right-field seats off Michael Fulmer for a 5-3 walk-off win over the New York Yankees on Saturday at Chase Field. ESPN's box lists Smith 1-for-1 with a run, two RBIs and the home run - 391 feet to right-center, per the play-by-play.
The Associated Press called it a cutter Fulmer left over the plate after Vargas won an ABS challenge on a full-count pitch initially called a strike.
Walk-off on an anniversary night
Jordan Lawlar had struck out between Vargas' walk and Smith's at-bat. Smith still delivered Arizona had trailed 3-2 after the sixth and found a way in the ninth. The franchise was celebrating the 25th anniversary of its 2001 World Series win over these same Yankees, the AP noted, when Smith sent Chase Field home happy.
Arizona improved to 81-74 and pulled within four games of Philadelphia for the final National League wild card with seven games remaining, snapping a three-game losing streak. New York fell to 89-65 and absorbed its 11th walk-off loss, one behind San Francisco for the major league lead.
How the game reached the ninth
Cam Schlittler worked six innings for New York and allowed three runs, only one earned, lowering his ERA to 1.94. A throwing error on Tim Tawa's bunt attempt opened the door for Lawlar's two-run triple in the fifth. Austin Wells and Heliot Ramos homered off Kevin Ginkel in the sixth to put the Yankees ahead 3-2.
Corbin Carroll's sacrifice fly tied it in the bottom half before Schlittler struck out the side of the threat.
