Torey Lovullo Explains D-backs’ Controversial 10th-Inning Decision

The Arizona Diamondbacks lost a baseball game in one of the more painful ways imaginable on Friday night: failing to score the winning run in extra innings.

A close, well-pitched, well-defended battle between Arizona and the NL Central-leading Brewers remained knotted at 3-3 heading into the 10th inning. Right-hander Taylor Clarke did his part for the D-backs, stranding Milwaukee’s ghost runner.

But the Diamondbacks were unable to get their own runner home. With Geraldo Perdomo at second, the Brewers opted to walk Corbin Carroll, setting up a 2-for-4 Gabriel Moreno with runners at first and second and no outs.

Often, that situation might call for a bunt to move the runners over, or perhaps a hit-and-run contact play. On the other hand, Moreno had been red-hot; he slashed .308/.427/.474 in June and had two hits on the night. He has also never laid down a sacrifice bunt in his major league career.

Manager Torey Lovullo did not call for any such play, and Moreno grounded into an unfortunate double play. The D-backs did not score, and after a 11th-inning meltdown by righty Ryan Thompson, lost 7-4 in the 11th.

Hindsight does a disservice to this situation. Had Moreno bunted and Arizona come away empty anyway, the vitriol would have pivoted to that individual outcome. Lovullo met that discussion head on, however. Here’s what he had to say about the decision in the 10th:

Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo on 10th-inning decision

Lovullo took note of that aforementioned hindsight.

“If I knew he was going to hit a double play, of course I would have bunted him,” Lovullo said. “I’m thinking twice about it.”

“I felt like, he’s one of our best hitters, game over. Base hit, game over. At the very least, he’s going to drive the ball in the opposite gap. Give us a chance to win the baseball game with our best hitter.

“[Perdomo]’s already in scoring position. It’s not automatic in this league that you’re going to score a run from third base to less than two outs. I just felt like the right guy in the right situation was there to help us win the game.”

Why Torey didn’t have Gabriel Moreno bunt pic.twitter.com/c9sW26JM7i

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) July 4, 2026

The truth is, Moreno has been an extremely clutch situational hitter throughout his career.

Coming into Friday’s game, he holds a career .292 average, an .876 OPS and a 135 wRC+ (35% above league average) with runners in scoring position, which is an area the rest of Arizona’s lineup has struggled with this season.

Perhaps the result would have been different had Moreno bunted. But we’ll never know.