After giving up five runs in the top of the tenth inning, the Diamondbacks score six times in the bottom of the frame in an amazing 7-6 come-from-behind victory over the Dodgers. Arizona infielder Ryan Roberts delivers the decisive blow in the Chase Field contest, a walk-off grand slam with two outs.

Meanwhile, in the American League, the Red Sox have to thank third-string catcher Ryan Lavarnway, making his first career start behind the plate because of injuries to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jason Varitek, for their 8 – 7 win over Baltimore­. Lavarnway hits his first two major league homers then makes a great defensive play on a squibbler by Matt Wieters as the Orioles are rallying in the 9th. The Rays stay tied with Boston by beating the Yankees, 5 – 3, thanks to home runs by Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist which account for all of their scoring. The Rays also pull a triple play in the 6th inning in the game.

Both wild card races are tied at the end of today’s games, with one day left in the season. Atlanta loses, 7 – 1, to Philadelphia after a poor performance by starting pitcher Derek Lowe, while St. Louis overcomes an early 5 – 0 deficit to beat Houston, 13 – 6. Ryan Theriot delivers a tie-breaking two-run triple as a pinch-hitter in the 7th to open the floodgates for the Cardinals, who use seven relievers in the game after Jake Westbrook leaves early; Eduardo Sanchez is the winner in his first appearance since June 12th. For its part, Atlanta had led the National League wild card race since June 20th.

Vladimir Guerrero, with a single up the middle, becomes the all-time career hit leader among players born in the Dominican Republic. The 36 year-old Orioles DH’s 2,587th career hit puts him ahead of Hato Mayor del Rey native Julio Franco.

The Rays defeat the Yankees, 5 – 2, behind James Shields’ 16th win of the year, and catch the Red Sox in the American League wild card race. The Rays trailed the Red Sox by 9 games as late as September 2nd. For their part, the Sox lose, 6 – 3, to Baltimore and are a woeful 6-19 in September. In the game, Vladimir Guerrero passes Julio Franco for most hits by a player from the Dominican Republic with 2,586. Vlad hits a single off Josh Beckett as part of a four-run outburst which sinks Boston in the 6th inning.

Ozzie Guillen announces he is stepping down as manager of the Chicago White Sox, which he led to a World Series title in 2005, in order to become manager of the Miami Marlins next season. The White Sox will receive compensation in the form of minor league players as Guillen is under contract for 2012.

Jacoby Ellsbury hits a two-out, three-run homer off Scott Proctor in the 14th inning to give Boston a 7 – 4 win over the Yankees in the second game of a doubleheader at New Yankee Stadium, halting a four-game skid. They lost the first game, 6 – 2, while Tampa Bay won, 5 – 2, over Toronto. As the day ends, the Sox’s lead in the American League wild card race is down to a single game. Ellsbury’s home run, his 30th of the year, makes him the first member of the Red Sox to join the 30-30 club.

In the National League wild card race, St. Louis beats the Cubs, 3 – 2, on Rafael Furcal’s 8th-inning solo homer. They also pull within a game of the leaders, Atlanta, who are shut out, 3 – 0, by Washington. In the Cards’ win Albert Pujols’ streak of reaching base in 40 consecutive games is stopped with an 0 for 4 day.

In a pregame ceremony before a nationally televised game with Boston, the Yankees celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roger Maris’s record-breaking 61st home run. The festivities include New York captain Derek Jeter carrying to home plate the bat that the Rajah used to hit the Tracy Stallard pitch on October 1, 1961, and Sal Durante, the 19 year-old fan who caught the historic homer in the right field stands, bringing the ball onto the field.

With his strikeout of pinch-hitter Jose Lopez in the Brewers’ 6-4 win over Florida, John Axford earns his 45th save of the year to set the single season franchise park for saves. The Milwaukee closer surpasses Francisco Cordero, who established the mark with 44 in 2007.