Hokie ClubMILWAUKEE – Six-year MLB reliever Joe Mantiply – who pitched in two NCAA Regionals with Virginia Tech (2010, 2013) – earned his first career postseason win on Tuesday night as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-3, during Game 1 of the 2023 National League Wild Card Series.
Mantiply entered early in Tuesday's affair after offensive fireworks from both sides. As the home team, Milwaukee – the NL Central champions – broke out to the 3-0 lead against Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt courtesy of Carlos Santana's RBI single during the first inning and Tyrone Taylor's two-run home run during the second inning.
Returning blows, the Diamondbacks rallied to knot the game at 3-3 during the top of the third inning, receiving back-to-back home run blasts by Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte. However, with Pfaadt leaving a pair of go-ahead runners in scoring position during the ensuing inning, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo optioned Mantiply out of the pen – a decision that sent the Diamondbacks on their way to victory.
Despite issuing a seven-pitch walk to Brice Turang, Mantiply induced the inning-ending fielder's choice from Taylor, beginning a string of six and one-third scoreless innings by Arizona's relief corps.
Mantiply moved into winning contention when Gabriel Moreno led off the fourth inning with a solo home run, providing the Diamondbacks their first lead at 4-3. The left-hander went on to pitch to one more batter, retiring Christian Yelich during the bottom of the fourth inning, before passing the torch to five more Diamondbacks relievers who silenced the Brewers.
Though short in pitch count – 14 deliveries to be exact – Mantiply's outing came at the right time for the Diamondbacks, who proceeded to hold Milwaukee to two runs of offense during the remainder of their two-game sweep of the Brewers.
At Virginia Tech, Mantiply recorded two collegiate wins during postseason games, prevailing for the first time as a freshman in relief against The Citadel during the 2010 NCAA Columbia Regional. As a senior, he was victorious against a top-10 Virginia side at the 2013 ACC Baseball Championship, where he held the Cavaliers to one run through the duration of his seven-inning start.
Mantiply and sixth-seeded Arizona (84-78) will open their best-of-five National League Division Series against the second-seeded Los Angeles Dodgers (100-62) on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 9:20 p.m. ET (6:20 p.m. PT).