Sports Media "X" Blog/Arizona Diamondbacks/Corbin Carroll, Gabriel Moreno Lead Arizona Diamondbacks to 5-1 Victory Over Washington Nationals

Corbin Carroll, Gabriel Moreno Lead Arizona Diamondbacks to 5-1 Victory Over Washington Nationals

Monday, June 08, 2026

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided a series sweep on Sunday afternoon, riding home runs from Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno along with another strong pitching performance from Michael Soroka to defeat the Washington Nationals 5-1 at Chase Field.

Playing in front of 35,540 fans on Native American Recognition Day, Arizona improved to 34-31 on the season while Washington dropped back to .500 at 33-33. The victory prevented the Nationals from completing a three-game sweep after winning the first two games of the weekend series.

With the roof closed and the temperature inside Chase Field sitting comfortably at 74 degrees while the Phoenix heat soared to 98 degrees outside, the Diamondbacks delivered one of their most complete performances of the series.

Carroll Gets Arizona Started Early
Arizona wasted little time jumping on the scoreboard against Nationals starter Cade Cavalli.

After Ketel Marte opened the game with a flyout, Corbin Carroll stepped to the plate and launched a solo home run into the pool area in right-center field. The blast gave Arizona an immediate 1-0 lead and energized the Chase Field crowd.
Washington answered in the second inning when CJ Abrams connected on his 14th home run of the season, a solo shot to right field that tied the game at 1-1.

For several innings, both starting pitchers settled in.

Soroka worked efficiently through the Nationals lineup, while Cavalli kept Arizona's offense mostly in check after Carroll's opening-inning homer.

Diamondbacks Capitalize in Fourth
Arizona reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning through timely hitting and aggressive baserunning.
Nolan Arenado opened the frame with a single before Pavin Smith followed with a base hit of his own. Ryan Waldschmidt then put the ball in play and reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Arenado to cross the plate for the go-ahead run.

The RBI gave Arizona a 2-1 advantage and shifted momentum back toward the home team.

Although the Diamondbacks had additional runners on base, Cavalli escaped further trouble by inducing an inning-ending double play from LuJames Groover.

Moreno Delivers the Big Blow
The decisive moment came in the fifth inning.

Tommy Troy worked a leadoff walk and eventually came around to score when Gabriel Moreno crushed a two-run home run into the Diamondbacks bullpen.

The blast extended Arizona's lead to 4-1 and provided Soroka with valuable breathing room.

Moreno finished the afternoon with a huge offensive performance, collecting multiple hits while driving in two runs. His home run proved to be the knockout punch against a Nationals offense that struggled to generate consistent scoring opportunities.

Soroka Dominates Nationals Lineup
Michael Soroka continued his impressive season with another quality outing.

The Arizona right-hander limited Washington to just one run while consistently getting ahead in counts and forcing weak contact. The Nationals managed only a handful of scoring threats throughout the afternoon, and Soroka repeatedly shut the door when opportunities arose.

Washington's lone run came on Abrams' solo homer, but beyond that, the Nationals struggled to mount any sustained rallies.

Soroka improved to 8-3 on the season with the victory, further strengthening his case as one of Arizona's most dependable starters.

Arizona Adds Insurance
The Diamondbacks added another run in the seventh inning.

Corbin Carroll reached base and later advanced into scoring position. After Gabriel Moreno singled and Nolan Arenado drew a walk to load the bases, Pavin Smith lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home Carroll and pushing Arizona's lead to 5-1.

The insurance run effectively sealed the outcome.

Arizona's bullpen handled the final three innings without issue. Kevin Ginkel worked a clean eighth inning before Taylor Clarke closed the door in the ninth.

The game's final highlight came when Carroll made a spectacular sliding backhand catch in right field to rob CJ Abrams of a potential hit during the ninth inning.

Offensive Leaders
Arizona's offense was powered by several key contributors.

Corbin Carroll finished with a home run, scored multiple runs, drew a walk, and made a highlight-reel defensive play. Gabriel Moreno delivered the biggest offensive performance of the day with a home run, multiple hits, and two RBIs.
Pavin Smith added an RBI via sacrifice fly, while Geraldo Perdomo contributed multiple hits and helped set the table throughout the afternoon.

For Washington, CJ Abrams provided the lone bright spot offensively with his 14th home run of the season.

Looking Ahead
The Diamondbacks now head out on a six-game road trip beginning with a three-game series against the Miami Marlins from June 9-11 before traveling to Cincinnati to face the Reds from June 12-14.

Arizona will return home to Chase Field on June 15 to begin a series against the Los Angeles Angels.
Washington leaves Phoenix having secured the series victory despite Sunday's loss and will look to build momentum as they continue their road schedule.

Final Score
Arizona Diamondbacks 5, Washington Nationals 1
Winning Pitcher: Michael Soroka (8-3)
Losing Pitcher: Cade Cavalli (3-4)
Attendance: 35,540
​Game Time: 2:32

​Past Diamondbacks Articles:
​Nationals Continue Dominance, Defeat Diamondbacks 6-1 Behind Littell's Strong Start and Mead's Early Blast
​Nationals Rout Diamondbacks 14-1 in Series Opener at Chase Field

​Diamondbacks Coverage Home

​Diamondbacks Home (MLB.com)

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