PHOENIX — Brandon Pfaadt threw the game of his life with nine shutout innings, but the San Francisco Giants managed to squeak out a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in 11 innings, 5-1.
The Diamondbacks (77-76) had opportunities with a runner on third base and less than two outs in the ninth and 10th innings but failed to pull through. They finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Giants (76-76) entered the 11th inning with one hit all game, but they racked up five runs and four earned runs charged to John Curtiss to prevent getting swept. Corbin Carroll hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom half to avoid the shutout.
The Diamondbacks did their job this week by winning the series and clinching the tiebreaker over San Francisco, but the loss on Wednesday shrinks their already miniscule room for error.
They fell to 2.0 games behind the Mets for the third National League Wild Card spot, pending New York’s game result on Wednesday evening against the San Diego Padres.
Brandon Pfaadt dominates Giants
Pfaadt deserved to earn a win on Wednesday, pitching nine innings for the first time in his career. The last Diamondbacks starter to complete nine innings was Zac Gallen at Wrigley Field in September 2023.
Pfaadt started his outing with 5.1 no-hit frames, and he finished the day with one hit allowed, one walk and seven strikeouts.
The Giants did not record a hit until Drew Gilbert singled with one out in the sixth inning. It was the first hit from San Francisco since the third inning of Tuesday’s 6-5 Diamondbacks win.
The hit was erased by a double play, so Pfaadt only needed to strand one base runner all game. His home ERA this season dropped to 3.15.
The issue was Pfaadt was in a pitcher’s duel with future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander.
Verlander shut out the Diamondbacks through seven innings with only three hits allowed, including an infield single. The 42-year-old has given up three runs combined over his last five starts, and while the Diamondbacks made his work with long at-bats, they had few answers to break him.
The Diamondbacks finally built an inning in the ninth inning off Ryan Walker, starting with a Carroll triple with one out. Gabriel Moreno walked and Blaze Alexander was hit by a pitch. These were the same three base runners aboard when Jordan Lawlar hit a walk-off single off of Walker on Tuesday.
Pinch hitter Adrian Del Castillo struck out, however, and Alek Thomas rolled out.
Brandyn Garcia backed up Pfaadt by stranding the ghost runner in the 10th inning, striking out Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, but the Diamondbacks’ struggles to score the Manfred Man in the 10th inning persisted.
Arizona is 7-11 in extra-inning games.
Up next for Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks get Thursday off before welcoming the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies to Chase Field on Friday.
Ryne Nelson will start the opener for Arizona, which has nine games remaining this season.
