Pinch-hitter Pavin Smith delivered a dramatic walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Arizona Diamondbacks past the New York Yankees by a final score of 5-3. The comeback victory successfully snapped a three-game losing streak for the Diamondbacks and capped off an emotional evening for the franchise.

What happened

With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Smith stepped up to the plate and drove an 0-1 cutter from New York Yankees reliever Michael Fulmer completely over the right-field wall. The dramatic finish was made possible by the plate discipline of Ildemaro Vargas earlier in the frame. Vargas successfully set the stage for the comeback by drawing a crucial leadoff walk, a result he earned after winning an automated ball-strike challenge.

Why it matters

The critical victory maintains Arizona's competitive position amidst a remarkably tight National League wild-card race. Beyond the immediate standings, the comeback victory provided a storybook ending to an important evening for the franchise. The dramatic win capped a celebratory night where the Arizona Diamondbacks honored the 25th anniversary of their historic 2001 championship run.

By the numbers

With Smith's late-game heroics, Arizona now officially leads the major leagues with six walk-off home runs throughout the 2026 season. The decisive moment also marked a significant personal and professional turnaround for Smith. Earlier in the season, he was designated for assignment in July and subsequently outrighted to Reno before eventually earning a September 12 recall to the major league roster.

What to watch next

Following the dramatic conclusion to this matchup, the Diamondbacks and Yankees will prepare to take the field again to conclude their interleague series on Sunday.