PHOENIX – It’s Virgo season for the D-backs.
What started out as a comedic postgame quip from Blaze Alexander following Sunday’s win over Minnesota – in which he referred to further imaging on his bruised left elbow as having undergone a “horoscope” – has begun to bear some fruit.
The rational, grounded reality: Following Monday’s 8-1 win against the Giants at Chase Field, the D-backs are 1 1/2 games out of the third and final National League Wild Card spot with 11 games to play by virtue of the Mets being idle. They’ll play eight games over the next 10 days at home against teams all in the thick of the postseason hunt.
“The crowd was awesome today,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “If you can find a way to get out here and support us right now, we would certainly appreciate that. The love that we felt out there from the fans that were here today, I know it gave us a certain energy and pushed us along.”
Zac Gallen set the tone in the first inning when he struck out Giants shortstop Willy Adames for his 1,000th strikeout as a member of the organization. In the moment, it was just the second out of the game, but he had, unbeknownst to him, pitched his way into an exclusive pantheon of D-backs hurlers, becoming just the third pitcher in franchise history to record 1,000 or more strikeouts for the club, joining Randy Johnson (2,077) and Brandon Webb (1,065).
“I knew I was close after the last start. Torey congratulated me after the first inning and I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’” said a laughing Gallen postgame. “You know, once the game starts, you’re not really thinking about that.
“When I got here seven or so years ago, those guys that I’m in that category with are the guys you’re trying to pitch like and have success like, so for me to be in their company, it’s a pretty cool thing. I joke it’s probably gonna be tough to get into first place – might have to play an extra 20 years – but I mean, still to be in that conversation with them is really cool.”
All told, Gallen tallied six innings and allowed one run on two hits with six strikeouts. He’s been on an ace-like run since the start of August, posting a 2.68 ERA across nine outings, seven of which have qualified as quality starts. It’s a far cry from the hurler who posted a 5.40 ERA during the first half in a drastic stepback from his usual All-Star-level production.
“I took it pretty personally because I felt like I was one of the opposites of a bright spot in the first half,” Gallen said. “I needed to try to buckle down and in how many starts I had left … just got to give these guys the best chance I can to win some baseball games.”
Gallen’s streak of five or more frames in 26 consecutive starts dating back to April 13 marks the longest in the NL this season and the second longest in the Majors behind only Seattle’s Bryan Woo (29 straight).
“He’s been an elite pitcher before,” Lovullo said. “We felt very strongly he was going to find that again.”
Gallen picked up the win on the back of a six-run sixth inning that featured the D-backs hitting for the cycle as a team. And it’s been that – a team – that has gotten them to the doorstep of a playoff spot.
It was Alexander drawing a walk after going down 0-2 in the count in the sixth. It was Jordan Lawlar just narrowly missing his first Major League homer (and settling for an RBI double). It was a three-hit, two-walk night from Geraldo Perdomo. It was a go-ahead hit from Ildemaro Vargas. It was another home run from James McCann.
“I can hear the laughter from my office and I love that. I love the fact that these guys are believing in one another,” Lovullo said. “They enjoy competing and that’s the name of the game for me. When you go out there and you’re prepared to compete and you enjoy doing it, it shows up in a fun way and you have a great result like this tonight.”
Whether they’re following Zodiac signs or Lovullo’s instructions, the D-backs are a club that has been detail-oriented in their mad dash back into the playoff picture. Meticulous? Check. Thinking in a solution-driven way? Check. Maybe Alexander and the constellations are on to something.
