Alek Thomas beaming with pride after sparking Diamondbacks' dramatic comeback in NLCS - "This is the moment we live for"
The Arizona Diamondbacks pulled off a thrilling comeback win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night, thanks to Alek Thomas' heroics in the eighth inning. Thomas is undoubtedly ecstatic with his effort.
The Diamondbacks returned home with a 2-0 deficit after successive disappointing defeats in the National League Championship Series. However, a walk-off win in the third game of the series reignited their World Series hopes.
While the thrilling win resurrected the Diamondbacks' hopes of turning around the NLCS, they found themselves 5-2 down at the top of the seventh inning in the fourth game.
However, home side found a way back into the game after Alek Thomas was sent to the on-deck circle to pinch-hit. The 23-year-old justified his manager's decision by smoking a two-run homer in the eighth inning to tie the game.
His clutch game-tying home runs inspired a late comeback from the Diamondbacks, who sealed back-to-back thrilling wins to peg back the Phillies.
"This is the moment we live for, this is the moment we practice since a very young age," Thomas said. “That play is definitely something that you see in your dreams."
"For it to come in real life and for it to happen to me is just awesome. I'm so grateful to have that moment. It's just unreal. Just crazy. I haven't really processed it yet, but it was awesome.”
Alex Thomas revels in new role after instigating NLCS-tying comeback for the Diamondbacks
Thomas' game-tying homer was followed by Gabriel Moreno's go-ahead single later in the same inning, which eventually sealed a famous win for the Diamondbacks.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo took a lot of heart from the youngster's performance as Thomas did not make it to the starting lineup in the third and fourth games of the ALCS, reducing him to the appearances off the bench.
“He didn't start the past couple of days because I was matching up and trying to maximize some situations offensively,” Lovullo said. “But he stayed ready, and that to me speaks volumes about a young player and his readiness."
The young Diamondbacks outfielder has made two notable contributions in his last two appearances off the bench.
He's more than ready to make an impact in the remaining NLCS games even if he's not in the starting lineup.
“I definitely want to be in there all the time. But I trust Torey and I trust the coaching staff. So just stay ready at all times. I'm definitely not going to hang my head about not being in the lineup, but I knew at some point they were going to call me and just got to be ready.”