Zac Gallen returns from injured list, holds A’s to 1 hit to stop Diamondbacks’ skid
Starter Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning at Chase Field on June 29, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
PHOENIX - Zac Gallen returned from a hamstring injury that sidelined him a month to pitch one-hit ball over six innings in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 3-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
Ketel Marte had three hits and drove in a run to help the Diamondbacks snap a three-game losing streak.
Gallen (6-4) left his previous outing May 30 at the New York Mets after facing one batter. He was diagnosed with a strained right hamstring and was placed on the injured list.
"He was landing every pitch that he possibly could. It was exactly what we needed," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "It’s inspiring, when you know what he’s done and step right in and do what he did for us today."
Gallen threw 77 pitches and 50 for strikes. He walked one and struck out seven. The only hit against him was Brent Rooker’s two-out single in the first. The only other Oakland hit came in the seventh.
Gallen had a similar injury in 2021 and said he wasn’t satisfied with his return from it that time.
"I physically felt good but mentally, wasn’t really ready to pitch," he said about the injury three years ago. "I challenged myself to do better this time."
"I hadn’t thought about my hamstring since the first time I got back on the mound (in rehab). Since then I haven’t felt anything."
Compared to his previous 11 starts, considering everything, he said, "It’s probably the cleanest it’s felt."
"Anytime you run up against Gallen you’d like to get the pitch count up, but he throws strikes," A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. "He uses all four pitches. He’s an elite pitcher."
Last season, Gallen was 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA in leading the Diamondbacks to the World Series. He was the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game and finished third in NL Cy Young voting.
Kevin Ginkel pitched two innings, allowing one hit, and Paul Sewald worked the ninth for his 11th save.
Marte, honored with a bobblehead giveaway on Saturday that drew 39,843 to Chase Field, drove in Arizona’s first run with a two-out single in the second inning.
Three singles in the third, capped by Jake McCarthy’s two-out hit, made it 2-0. Lourdes Gurriel Jr.‘s RBI double ended Hogan Harris’ outing. Harris (1-2) gave up 10 hits but just three runs as Arizona left two runners on in each of the first four innings. The Diamondbacks stranded 11 in the game.
Osvaldo Bido pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings for Oakland in relief of Harris.
In the first inning, Christian Walker’s fly ball down the left-field line hit close to the yellow padding in fair territory was ruled a foul ball. Replay overturned the call and gave Walker a double, but Gurriel, running from first with two outs, was sent back to third. Randal Grichuk fouled out to end the inning.
"I still don’t know what happened," Lovullo said about his discussion following the ruling. "We spent most of the time arguing why I couldn’t argue."
With the loss, the A’s fell to 7-19 in June and has lost 16 of their last 20 games. Oakland ended an 11-game road losing streak Friday night with a 9-4 win at Chase Field.
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Oakland RHP Luis Medina (1-3, 5.25) was set to face RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3-6, 4.45) on Sunday in the series finale.