Dansby Swanson deserves more credit than he is getting for D'Backs game-ending miscue

After splitting the first two games of a four game set, the Chicago Cubs took Game 3 of the series in the desert against the Arizona Diamondbacks in dramatic fashion. The game ended on what seemed to be a baserunning blunder by pinch runner Garrett Hampson but it appears we are not giving enough credit where credit is due.

The final out of the game was a unique one. Let's break down the development of the play and try to understand how Hampson found himself hung out to dry.

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Dansby Swanson deserves more credit for Cubs' Friday night win

Going into the bottom of the 9th inning on Friday night, the Diamondbacks trailed the Cubs 4-1. Arizona refused to lay down and all of the sudden found themselves with a chance to walk-off with a victory.

After a two-run homer off the bat of Eugenio Suarez, the lead was cut to one in the Dbacks' final at-bat. A Gabriel Moreno single and Ketel Marte walk later in the frame led to haviing runners at first and second with two outs and young superstar Corbin Carroll stepping to the plate.

Carroll quickly fell behind in the count and with two strikes hit a weak ground ball to short stop. With Carroll's elite speed, even a defender of Dansby Swanson's caliber couldn't throw him out at first. Instead of wasting a throw, Swanson pumped faked to first and caught Garret Hampson who pinch ran for Moreno earlier in the inning completely off guard.

Hampson had rounded the bag at third, likely waiting to see if a throw at first would get away allowing him to score the game-tying run. Swanson immediately sprinted to third base and made an impressive diving tage before Hampson could get his hand back into third and the game ended.

Hampson most certainly could have made a better choice on the base path in that scenario but we are still not giving Swanson enough credit. With Swanson shaded up the middle, it was impressive he even covered the ground to get to the baseball. The IQ to not force a throw to first and pump fake quickly and more ground covered plus agility to make the tag makes this play one of the best defesnive plays of the season through the first few days.

Maybe there's a reason Dansby is making $28 million this season after all.