The D-backs Tighten Their Grip on Wild Card with Win

The Arizona Diamondbacks are another game closer to clinching a National League playoff spot. They maintain their hold over the #2 NL Wild Card spot over the Cubs and Marlins. The D-backs shut out the White Sox en route to a 3-0 victory behind excellent pitching. They are 8-2 in their last ten games as their lead in the NL Wild Card swells to 1.5. Should the Cubs lose tonight's game against the Braves, the lead would be two games over the Cubs for the second spot. If Miami loses a game today, their lead would be two games over the Marlins. Arizona is now just -4 in run differential and has a shot to clinch their playoff spot on Friday.

Should the Cubs lose any of their next three games and the D-backs win Thursday and Friday, the D-backs would officially clinch a Wild Card position. This would allow them to rest Merrill Kelly for the playoffs and not have him start on Saturday against the Astros. This sets up a big get-away game tomorrow morning against the White Sox as they look to sweep them for the second year in a row.

Today's game was all about the pitching. Brandon Pfaadt was terrific, rebounding excellently after Aaron Judge beat him up last Friday. Pfaadt got his third win by pitching 5.2 innings with eight strikeouts and just five hits. His ERA falls to 5.72. Notably, it was the first time in over a week that a starter not named Gallen or Kelly threw more than 85 pitches in a game. Pfaadt threw 87.

Pfaadt left in a bit of trouble in the sixth inning. He had given up a double to Andrew Vaughn and then had a fielding mistake when he nearly threw the ball into centerfield on a comebacker to the mound. With two on, Manager Torey Lovullo pulled him with two outs in the inning in favor of Luis Frias. Frias need just one pitch to get out of the only jam the D-backs ever really faced this game.

Lovullo had this to say about Pfaadt's great start today,

"Yeah, it was all about what he did. It was an aggressive fastball. I thought the sinker was exceptional today. I saw a lot of depth on it, missing barrels. The change-up, the slider, everything was working really well for him today. We extended him a little bit longer than we have and he earned it. I was very happy and pleased with what he did for us."

Andrew Saalfrank and Ryan Thompson combined for two innings with each allowing a hit and striking out two. Frias got his first hold of the season. Saalfrank got his third also and Thompson recorded his eighth hold.

Closer Paul Sewald allowed a two-out double in the ninth inning, but he struck out Tyler Naquin for his second strikeout in the inning to earn his 34th save of the season. This was his first appearance in a week, since last Tuesday at home against the Giants. It was his 13th save in a Diamondbacks uniform. Sewald has pitched in nine games since September 1st. He has eight innings, six saves, five hits, two runs, three walks, and eight strikeouts. The closer spot has been solidified by Sewald. Something unthinkable just a few months ago.

The White Sox held a bullpen game today and shut down the D-backs offense for the most part. They used six pitchers and Arizona had just one hit after the third inning. However, opener Luis Patino struggled mightily in that third inning. With one out in the inning, Jace Peterson lined a single. Then, the ever-patient Geraldo Perdomo waited out Patino to earn a walk. In the next at-bat, Corbin Carroll lined a two-run double in the right-center gap to put Arizona up 2-0. After Ketel Marte walked, Tommy Pham hit a line drive single through the left side of the infield to drive in Carroll. That was all the offense the Diamondbacks would need today.

Geraldo Perdomo spoke after the game highlighting the importance of just getting on base to help make things happen.

"Torey told me, all the coach[es] said every time you get on base, something can happen. The last few days, you can see that... Like I told you all the time, if I get on base, something can happen. We've been seeing that the last few days."

Manager Lovullo later spoke about his team's belief saying:

"We are a very humble group and these guys are very hungry."

The Arizona Diamondbacks have another day game again tomorrow afternoon. It's the make-up game due to the schedule being adjusted in the Yankees series. They play at 11:10 a.m. Arizona time. The D-backs will be having a bullpen game of their own with Bryce Jarvis likely being the bulk reliever. Former Diamondbacks first-round pick Touki Toussaint will toe the rubber for the White Sox. It will be the team's second time playing Toussaint after seeing him earlier this season when he was with the Guardians. Arizona had three hits, two runs, five walks, and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings the first time around.

Following Thursday, the D-backs return home for the final homestand of the season. A three-game matchup with the AL Wild Card hopefuls, Houston Astros. Every game will be a must-watch with playoff atmosphere and energy as the Arizona Diamondbacks make a final push to secure their NL Wild Card spot.