Zac Gallen pitched seven strong innings, Ildemaro Vargas hit a tie-breaking single in a two-run sixth, and the Arizona Diamondbacks gained a game in the NL wild card race with a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Phoenix on Saturday.
Gallen (13-14) gave up three runs on four hits, striking out nine and walking two in what could be his final home start for Arizona. He is a free agent this winter.
Alec Bohm had two hits including a homer and Kyle Schwarber had two hits and an RBI double for the Phillies, who had won three of four and 16 of 21.
The D-backs (78-77) moved within two games of the New York Mets (80-75) and remained one game behind Cincinnati (79-76) for the final NL wild card spot. The Reds hold the tie-breaker against both the D-backs and the Mets.
Philadelphia (92-63) dropped three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (95-60) for the best record in the National League. The top two teams get a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Phillies threatened in the eighth, when Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto singled off Brandyn Garcia to put runners on first and third with one out. Garcia struck out Brandon Marsh and Ryan Thompson entered to get Bohm to fly out.
John Curtis pitched around a two-out single in the ninth for his third career save, his first since 2020.
Phillies’ starter Aaron Nola (4-10) gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking two.
The Phillies took a 2-0 in the first. Harrison Bader walked and scored on Schwarber’s double before Schwarber took third on a groundout and scored on Realmuto’s sacrifice fly.
Geraldo Perdomo extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a leadoff double in the bottom frame, and he scored on Corbin Carroll’s single.
Ketel Marte singled in a run in the third to tie it at 2-2 before Bohm’s homer with two outs in the fourth gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead.
Blaze Alexander and James McCann had consecutive doubles with one out in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3 and knock out Nola, and Vargas’ two-out single off Tanner Banks gave the D-backs their first lead at 4-3.
