The Diamondbacks delivered a huge statement win, beating the San Francisco Giants 8-2 in the series finale at Chase Field. With their Wild Card lead shrinking and their ace on the mound, Arizona badly needed a win this game. The win now shrinks their magic number to clinch a postseason berth down to three games.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“I think this time of year, it’s easy to freak out, everybody is trying to get you to freak out and it’s just about playing our game,” said Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker in the on-field postgame interview on DbacksTV. “We’re a great team, we got a great offense, we got a great staff, it’s just about trusting each other and having fun here down the stretch.”
Early on, it looked like this game would follow a similar script to the night before. The Diamondbacks ran themselves out of the first inning and the Giants took the lead in the second. However, Arizona flipped the script in the bottom half of the second by scoring three runs to seize control of the game.
Walker led off the frame by driving a ball over Mike Yastrzemski for a double. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. cashed in on the opportunity with a hard-hit grounder past a diving LaMonte Wade Jr. to tie the game. Following a walk to Eugenio Suárez, Gabriel Moreno drove in the second run of the inning with a hard grounder up the middle. Another walk loaded the bases for Corbin Carroll, who chased Yastrzemski to the warning track to score Suárez despite a baserunning mistake.
The #Dbacks offense has a pulse for the first time this series. Nice Answerback inning and they lead 3-1. pic.twitter.com/iil9I60n9T
— Michael McDermott (@MichaelMcD8393) September 26, 2024
That big inning settled down Zac Gallen, who labored through the first two innings and got on a roll after that. Following Tyler Fitzgerald’s RBI double in the second, he retired 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced. Overall, he gave the Diamondbacks a vintage Zac Gallen start, going six innings while allowing just one run on two hits, two walks, and a season-high 11 strikeouts.
What worked for Gallen was the ability to command his bread-and-butter four-seamer and curveball combination. He used the four-seamer to get called strikes and the curveball for swings and misses. The two pitches combined for 19 called strikes and 12 whiffs on the night.
While Gallen was shutting down the Giants lineup, the Diamondbacks’ offense blew the game open. The Diamondbacks chased Mason Black in the third on a bases-loaded walk by Gabriel Moreno that made it 4-1. Walker added an RBI single in the fifth.
“You put up three runs and you come out and have a 1-2-3 inning and get right back in the dugout,” said Walker. “It keeps the offense flowing, keeps the energy high, keeps the defenders on their toes, it’s everything you want out of your starting pitcher. He did a great job tonight.”
After the Giants scratched across a run in the eighth, Arizona answered again. A single by Geraldo Perdomo and a walk by Carroll put two runners on for Pavin Smith, who blasted a center-cut changeup into the pool at Chase Field to punctuate the blowout win.
Pavin Smith adds the exclamation point for this game with a pool shot. 8-2 #Dbacks pic.twitter.com/m1BNwvQhIa
— Michael McDermott (@MichaelMcD8393) September 26, 2024
Next Game
The Diamondbacks will enjoy an off day before playing the final series of the year against the red-hot San Diego Padres. Merrill Kelly (5-0, 3.71 ERA) will take the mound for Arizona while the Padres have yet to announce their starter. First pitch at Chase Field on Friday will be at 6:40 P.M. MST.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcD8393
