The Arizona Diamondbacks are the National League's hottest wild-card contender. Friday afternoon, the D-Backs outlasted the Chicago Cubs in a 1-0 win (box score) at Wrigley Field behind ace Zac Gallen. Gallen struck out nine in a complete-game shutout. He limited the Cubs to three singles, a walk, and a hit batter. Chicago did not have a runner reach second base.
Friday's shutout was the second of Gallen's career and his first nine-inning shutout. He threw a one-hitter in a seven-inning shutout against the Atlanta Braves on April 25, 2021. That was a seven-inning game as part of a doubleheader. Friday was the first time Gallen had ever thrown a pitch in the ninth inning in his career. Only four times previously did he pitch into the eighth.
Gallen is only the fifth pitcher in D-Backs history to win a 1-0 shutout on the road, joining Brian anderson (1998 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates), Javier Vazquez (2005 vs. Detroit Tigers), Edwin Jackson (2010 no-hitter vs. Tampa Bay Rays), and Brandon McCarthy (2013 vs. Miami Marlins). Gallen is the first pitcher with a 1-0 shutout on the road since Jordan Montgomery, then with the St. Louis Cardinals, last Aug. 22. That one also came against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The only run in Friday's game came on Corbin Carroll's eighth-inning single against Mark Leiter Jr. Right fielder Seiya Suzuki nearly made the catch, though it was overturned on replay and ruled a trap. Cubs pitchers struck out 15 batters Friday and limited the D-Backs to 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. The one was enough to lose the game, however.
Opposing Gallen, Cubs starter Jameson Taillon was terrific, striking out a season-high nine in six innings of scoreless ball. Both starters opened the game with four no-hit innings before allowing soft singles in the fifth. At one point, Gallen and Taillon combined to retire 22 consecutive batters between them. Only two of the game's first 30 batters reached base.
Friday's wn was Arizona's third straight. They are one game up on the Marlins and Cincinnati Reds for the third wild-card spot, and two games behind the Cubs for the second wild-card spot. Friday's game -- and this weekend's series -- could very well be a Wild Card Series preview.
