The Arizona Diamondbacks had every opportunity to leave Great American Ball Park with a victory on Saturday afternoon. Instead, they left Cincinnati frustrated after a 2-1 loss to the Reds on June 13, 2026, in a game that perfectly illustrated baseball's cruel reality: the team with the most opportunities doesn't always win.

Arizona out-hit Cincinnati 7-3, put runners on base throughout the afternoon, received seven dominant innings from starting pitcher Michael Soroka, and still found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard when the final out was recorded. A late solo home run by Noelvi Marte proved to be the difference as the Reds capitalized on one of their few scoring opportunities while the Diamondbacks stranded 12 runners on base.

For a Diamondbacks club fighting to stay above .500 and remain in the National League playoff conversation, this was a game that slipped away.

Corbin Carroll Provides Immediate Fireworks
The game could not have started much better for Arizona.

Leading off the contest, Corbin Carroll stepped into the batter's box against Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder and wasted no time making an impact. On the very first pitch of the game, Carroll launched a towering home run 433 feet into the right-center field seats, instantly giving the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead.

The blast continued Carroll's impressive season and provided exactly the kind of fast start Arizona hoped for against a young Reds pitching staff.

At that point, it appeared the Diamondbacks might be in position for a productive offensive afternoon.

Unfortunately, that would be the only run Arizona would score.

Michael Soroka Delivers One of His Best Starts of the Season
Lost in the disappointment of the final score was the outstanding performance turned in by Diamondbacks starter Michael Soroka.

The veteran right-hander was dominant from the opening inning through the seventh. Soroka consistently attacked the strike zone, generated weak contact, and kept Cincinnati hitters off balance all afternoon.

​His final line was impressive:

Soroka's command was exceptional, as he did not issue a single walk during his outing. The Reds struggled to generate any sustained offense against him, and for much of the afternoon it appeared his performance would be rewarded with a victory.

Instead, Soroka received little offensive support despite multiple opportunities created by Arizona's lineup.

Reds Tie the Game in the Third Inning
Cincinnati finally broke through in the bottom of the third inning.

With two outs, Matt McLain doubled to put a runner in scoring position. Edwin Arroyo followed by lining a single into right field, allowing McLain to score and tie the game at 1-1.

The inning represented one of the few mistakes Soroka made throughout the afternoon.

Despite the run, he quickly settled back into rhythm and continued shutting down the Reds offense for the remainder of his outing.

Diamondbacks Offense Squanders Opportunity After Opportunity
The biggest storyline from this game was Arizona's inability to capitalize on scoring chances.

The Diamondbacks consistently put pressure on Cincinnati's pitching staff but repeatedly came up empty when runners reached scoring position.

​Arizona finished the game with:

Those numbers tell the story.

While the Diamondbacks managed to create traffic on the bases throughout the afternoon, they failed to deliver the timely hit needed to break the tie.

Several innings ended with runners stranded in scoring position. Time after time, Arizona appeared poised to take control of the game only to watch the opportunity disappear.

In contrast, Cincinnati generated only three hits all game yet found a way to score twice.

Baseball often comes down to execution in key moments, and the Reds were the team that delivered when it mattered most.

Noelvi Marte Changes the Game with One Swing
After Soroka exited following seven strong innings, the game remained tied heading into the eighth inning.

Diamondbacks reliever Juan Morillo entered looking to keep the game even and give Arizona's offense another opportunity.

Instead, Noelvi Marte delivered the decisive blow.

Marte connected on a solo home run that traveled 413 feet to left-center field, giving Cincinnati its first lead of the afternoon.

It was only the third hit allowed by Arizona pitching all game.

Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks, it was the one that mattered most.

Morillo struck out three batters during his inning of work but was charged with the loss after surrendering the game-winning blast.

Reds Bullpen Slams the Door
Following Lowder's solid outing, Cincinnati's bullpen took complete control of the game.

Caleb Ferguson, Chase Petty, and Tony Santillan combined to shut down Arizona over the final 3.1 innings.

The Diamondbacks continued putting runners on base but could never find the clutch hit necessary to erase the deficit.
Santillan recorded his third save of the season, securing the 2-1 victory for Cincinnati.

Offensive Leaders for Arizona
Corbin Carroll led the Diamondbacks offense with a two-hit performance that included his leadoff home run and the team's only RBI.

Gabriel Moreno collected two hits and added a double while continuing his strong offensive season behind the plate.

Ketel Marte also finished with two hits, but Arizona's top contributors were unable to come through in the game's biggest situations.

The Diamondbacks finished with more than double Cincinnati's hit total yet scored only one run.

Turning Point of the Game
The defining statistic from Saturday's contest was not the hit total, the strikeout total, or even Marte's home run.

It was the 12 runners left on base by Arizona.

Teams rarely win games when they leave that many scoring opportunities unclaimed.

The Diamondbacks did enough offensively to win. They did enough on the mound to win. They simply failed to execute when runners were in position to score.

That inability to deliver timely hits ultimately cost them the game.

What This Loss Means for Arizona
The defeat dropped the Diamondbacks back to the .500 mark at 35-35 and prevented them from securing the series against Cincinnati.

While Soroka's performance was encouraging, the offensive struggles with runners in scoring position remain a concern as Arizona continues its push through the middle portion of the season.

The Diamondbacks will look to bounce back in the series finale and avoid letting another strong pitching performance go to waste.

For one afternoon in Cincinnati, Arizona had the better starting pitcher, more hits, more baserunners, and more scoring opportunities.

The Reds simply had the bigger swing.

​And that swing was enough.
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​Past Diamondbacks Articles:
​Arizona Diamondbacks Rally Past Cincinnati Reds 5-2 Behind Jordan Lawlar’s Return. 
​Diamondbacks Swept in Miami as Offensive Struggles Continue in 2-0 Loss to Marlins 

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