{"id":158881,"date":"2025-09-21T08:56:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T08:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/158881\/"},"modified":"2025-09-21T08:56:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T08:56:15","slug":"diamondbacks-make-up-ground-in-playoff-race-with-win-vs-phillies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/158881\/","title":{"rendered":"Diamondbacks make up ground in playoff race with win vs. Phillies"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX \u2014 The Arizona Diamondbacks grinded out a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night, making up a game on the New York Mets for the third National League Wild Card spot.<\/p>\n

The D-backs (78-77) are back down to 2.0 games behind the Mets with seven contests remaining.<\/p>\n

The Mets (80-75) lost to the Washington Nationals in extra innings on Saturday, although the Cincinnati Reds (79-76) defeated the Chicago Cubs to climb to within one game of New York and one game ahead of Arizona.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, it\u2019d be better to be two games up, but as long as you\u2019ve got a chance, that\u2019s all you can ask for,\u201d catcher James McCann said. \u201cI\u2019ve been talking to the guys about, we have to take care of our business. We can\u2019t rely on another team. Obviously, it\u2019s gonna take a little bit from another team, but if we don\u2019t take care of our business, it doesn\u2019t matter anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCann and manager Torey Lovullo said the Diamondbacks pay attention to what is going on around the league, that\u2019s September in a pennant chase. But the D-backs have to remain locked in on controlling what they can to stay alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve earned that right to watch baseball games that are very meaningful,\u201d Lovullo said. \u201cBut we still have more work to do, and we still gotta play better baseball in certain areas and go out and win baseball games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zac Gallen delivers for Diamondbacks while under the weather<\/p>\n

Zac Gallen entered his start on Saturday having spent the past few days under the weather. And yet, he delivered a quality start with seven innings, three earned runs and nine strikeouts.<\/p>\n

It was his longest outing since July 1, and he did so with elevated velocity<\/a> despite having to grind through a cold.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas taking its toll on me, but just felt like I needed to go out there and give the guys 100 pretty solid pitches to give them a chance to win,\u201d Gallen said.<\/p>\n

He got off to a shaky start, allowing two runs after a lead-off walk in the first inning, but he was dominant from that point on. From innings 2-7, Gallen allowed one run (Alec Bohm home run) on three hits with eight of his punch outs.<\/p>\n

He had the curveball working, as the pitch induced 10 whiffs on 19 swings.<\/p>\n

Gallen said he emptied the tank with two outs in the seventh inning, and he got Otto Kemp to hit a grounder to third. Blaze Alexander\u2019s throw was low and got away, putting the tying run in scoring position. The Diamondbacks kept Gallen in there, and he walked Bryson Stott to bring lead-off man Harrison Bader back up for a fourth look at Gallen.<\/p>\n

McCann went to visit his ailing pitcher at the mound.<\/p>\n

\u201cI joked with McCann in the seventh, he came out, took the mound visit and I was like, \u2018I\u2019m cooked,’\u201d Gallen said. \u201cAnd he\u2019s like, \u2018We\u2019ve got one more guy.’\u201d<\/p>\n

McCann added: \u201c\u200aI knew he was exhausted. I know the rollercoaster ride as a pitcher when you get your ground ball and that doesn\u2019t result in the out. I wanted to make sure he just had time to breathe. This was his game and he was gonna get himself out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bader grounded into a fielder\u2019s choice, and Gallen\u2019s day was done at 104 pitches.<\/p>\n

Gallen\u2019s season ERA dropped to 4.70, and his ERA in 10 starts since the trade deadline is 2.82. Arizona is 7-3 in those games.<\/p>\n

How did the Diamondbacks take the lead?<\/p>\n

Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, Arizona rallied with back-to-back doubles from Alexander and McCann to chase Phillies starter Aaron Nola, followed by a go-ahead single from Ildemaro Vargas.<\/p>\n

Arizona out-hit Philadelphia 11-7, and eight Diamondbacks recorded knocks. The bottom of the order was productive, as Vargas delivered two hits from the eight-hole while Jake McCarthy went 3-for-4 while batting ninth.<\/p>\n

John Curtiss recorded the save, his first of the year. The Diamondbacks have had 17 pitchers record saves this season, a major league record.<\/p>\n

Up next for Diamondbacks<\/p>\n

In a duel of left-handers on Sunday, Eduardo Rodriguez takes the ball for Arizona against Philadelphia\u2019s Ranger Suarez.<\/p>\n

The rubber match begins at 1:10 p.m. MST on ESPN 620 AM and the Arizona Sports app.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Follow @alexjweiner<\/a><\/p>\n

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