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Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-20 · by David Brandt The Associated Press
Pavin Smith, who was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this season, hit a decisive two-run home run in the ninth inning on Saturday night against the New York Yankees, securing a 5-3 win. This performance has reignited the D-backs' playoff hopes as they are now within four games of the final National League wild card spot with seven games left to play. Manager Torey Lovullo’s belief in Smith's hitting ability was validated by this critical hit, despite Smith having struggled earlier this year and being cut from the team temporarily before returning to Triple-A Reno to rebuild his confidence.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Saturday night in Phoenix, the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrated their 2001 World Series victory over the Yankees, only to provide another painful memory for New York by winning a critical game. In the bottom of the ninth inning, pinch hitter Pavin Smith hit a two-run home run off Michael Fulmer, securing a 5-3 victory and sending the Yankees to their eleventh walk-off loss this season. The Diamondbacks' triumph narrowed their gap from the final NL wild card spot by four games with seven left in the regular season, while the Yankees fell further behind the leading Tampa Bay Rays (89-65), now five games ahead of them for first place in the AL East.
Written for “Yankees Loss Shrinks Playoff Hopes” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
PHOENIX (AP) — Torey Lovullo has said the same phrase several times over the past seven years, even as fans and sometimes reporters rolled their eyes at the Arizona Diamondbacks manager’s optimism.
asserted
fans → say → optimism
“Pavin Smith can hit,” Lovullo would say.
asserted
Lovullo → hit → ?
And on Saturday night, he finally did, injecting some life into the D-backs’ slim playoff hopes by smacking a game-ending, two-run homer in the ninth inning for a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees.
asserted
he → inject → Yankees
Entering as a pinch-hitter, the left-hander ripped a cutter from Michael Fulmer over the right-field wall.
asserted
hander → enter → wall
The D-backs pulled within four games of Philadelphia for the final NL wild card with seven games remaining.
asserted
backs → pull → games
“I’m never looking to be proven right,” Lovullo said.
asserted
Lovullo → look → ?
“I’m just trying to put players in the best position to be successful and when they have success I share it with them.
asserted
I → try → them
But I do believe Pavin can hit.”
asserted
Pavin → believe → ?
Smith has had an up-and-down career with the D-backs after being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft after a stellar three seasons in college at Virginia.
asserted
Smith → have → Virginia
He has a career batting average of .241 with 47 homers, but has been worth exactly 0.0 wins above replacement, according to baseball-reference.com.
uncertain
He → have → baseball-reference.com
The 30-year-old looked like he might finally be ready for his breakout season this spring, but he developed bone spurs in his elbow in March and needed surgery.
uncertain
he → look → surgery
That knocked him out of action for roughly two months.
asserted
That → knock → months
He returned to the lineup on June 1, but looked lost at the plate.
asserted
He → return → plate
The low point came on July 9 when he was designated for assignment by the only organization he had ever known.
asserted
he → come → organization
At the time, he was hitting .141.
asserted
he → hit → .141
Smith cleared waivers, meaning 29 other teams didn’t think he was worth picking up.
asserted
he → clear → waivers
Then the D-backs sent him back to Triple-A Reno, where he slowly regained confidence in his swing.
asserted
he → send → swing
Now he’s making big contributions at a critical stage of the season.
“It felt really good,” Smith said.
asserted
Smith → make → season
“There were lots of times this year when I didn’t feel like I could ever hit again.
uncertain
I → be → times
I think that happens to a lot of people.
asserted
that → think → people
Lovullo said their might have been a little magic in the air for the D-backs since so many franchise legends were in the building, including Luis Gonzalez, whose bloop single off Yankees closer and Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning of Game 7 scored Jay Bell for a 3-2 win.
uncertain
single → say → win
“Gonzo hit a walk-off about 25 years ago and to be able to do it on the (celebration) night is pretty cool,” Smith said.
asserted
Smith → hit → night
“It’s a full stadium.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Every pitch felt like it mattered more and to pull it out in the end feels good.”
asserted
pull → feel → end
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