Zac Gallen Shines as Arizona Diamondbacks Edge Phillies 4-3, Stay in NL Wild Card Race – Game Recap 9/20/2025

Saturday, September 20th, 2025

Arizona Diamondbacks Edge Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 in Phoenix Thriller

The Arizona Diamondbacks secured a pivotal 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night in Phoenix. Zac Gallen delivered a standout performance on the mound, holding the Phillies to just four hits over seven innings and striking out nine batters. With this win, Arizona improved to 78-77, pushing back above the .500 mark and drawing closer to the final National League wild-card spot.

Game Recap

After the Phillies took an early lead, the Diamondbacks battled back in the sixth inning with back-to-back doubles from Blaze Alexander and James McCann off Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola, tying the game at 3-3. Ildemaro Vargas then singled off reliever Tanner Banks, driving in the go-ahead run to put Arizona on top.

Zac Gallen (13-14) was stellar for Arizona, throwing 103 pitches, walking two, and striking out nine—five of those were called third strikes. John Curtiss closed out the game for his first save as a Diamondback and third of his career.

Phillies Power and Missed Opportunities

Alec Bohm provided a spark for the Phillies with his 10th home run of the season, his first since returning from a shoulder injury. Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola (4-10) struggled, allowing seven hits and four runs across five and one-third innings, remaining winless on the road this season (0-6).

The Phillies wasted no time in the first inning, as Harrison Bader earned a walk and scored on a Kyle Schwarber double. Schwarber then came home on a deep sacrifice fly by J.T. Realmuto. Arizona responded quickly, with Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte adding RBI singles to even the score.

Key Moment

In the eighth inning, Arizona third baseman Blaze Alexander made a crucial defensive play, robbing Bryce Harper of a single and forcing out the lead runner at second base. This play kept the Phillies from mounting a comeback with two runners on and nobody out.

Key Stat

Zac Gallen now leads Major League Baseball with 27 pitching decisions this season, two more than San Francisco’s Logan Webb.

Standings Impact

With the win, Arizona moved just two games back from the National League’s last wild-card playoff spot, with a big push in the remaining schedule. Cincinnati’s Saturday win kept them in the hunt, trailing the New York Mets by one game.

Up Next

The Diamondbacks and Phillies will finish their series on Sunday. Arizona sends left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (8-8, 5.12 ERA) to the mound to face Philadelphia’s Ranger Suárez (12-6, 2.84 ERA) in a crucial matchup for both teams’ playoff hopes.

In summary

In a tightly contested game, the Arizona Diamondbacks edged the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 with top performances from Zac Gallen on the mound and timely hitting from Blaze Alexander, James McCann, and Ildemaro Vargas. Arizona moved above .500 and gained ground in the NL wild-card race, while Philadelphia missed opportunities despite early offense. Key moments included strong defense and pitching, setting up an exciting series finale with playoff implications for both teams.

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