D-backs Pass Giants in Playoff Picture as Zac Gallen Dominates

The Arizona Diamondbacks exploded to overtake the Giants in the playoff picture.

Sep 9, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) argues with home plate umpire Doug Eddings (88) (not pictured) during a pitching change against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

On Monday, the Arizona Diamondbacks surpassed the San Francisco Giants in the playoff picture for the time being, winning by a dominant 8-1 score in front of the Chase Field Crowd.

Zac Gallen pitched one of his more dominant starts of the season, and the offense exploded for six runs in the seventh inning. Arizona is now 76-75, 1.5 games out of the third Wild Card spot and half a game ahead of their NL West rival Giants.

Arizona Diamondbacks Zac Gallen Dominates Giants

Gallen gave up a solo home run to Giants second baseman Casey Schmitt in the third inning. That would be one of only three batters Gallen would allow to reach, and the only run he'd surrender for the night.

Arizona has been in dire need of vintage ace-like Gallen performances, and they got one on Monday night.

The right-hander threw six innings, with the home run counting for one of only two base hits allowed. He walked one and struck out six. With his first punchout of the night, Gallen joined Randy Johnson and Brandon Webb in the Diamondbacks' exclusive 1,000-strikeout club.

Gallen looked to be in complete command. He collected 12 whiffs and 18 called strikes. Eight of said whiffs came on his changeup. It was exactly what both he and the D-backs needed to stay alive in the playoff race.

Taylor Rashi threw two scoreless innings of relief with just one walk allowed and three strikeouts. He passed the ball to Jalen Beeks, who threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Offense Explodes in Sixth Inning

Arizona managed only one run off San Francisco starter Kai-Wei Teng, and it came on a bizarre botched pickoff attempt to first base, allowing Geraldo Perdomo to score from third in the first inning.

The D-backs only got two hits and one walk off Teng. But then, the sixth inning arrived. It began with Corbin Carroll's 30th double of the season. Gabriel Moreno and Blaze Alexander then walked to load the bases.

It was Ildemaro Vargas that delivered the first big knock, shooting a single through the first base gap to plate two runs. Vargas was caught in between first and second, but the scoring would only continue from there.

Jordan Lawlar narrowly missed his first career homer, settling for an RBI double. James McCann followed that up by belting his fifth homer of the season and second in as many games, going 419 feet to left.

Jake McCarthy reached on a throwing error, and Perdomo brought him home on an RBI triple to the left field gap. Suddenly Arizona held a 7-1 lead. Perdomo added on with an RBI double in the eighth.

Perdomo finished the game 3-for-3 with a double, triple and two walks. He knocked in two runs and scored once.