Brandon Pfaadt bounced back from his worst start to take a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning as the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks kept pace in the National League wild-card chase with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Pfaadt (10-9), who was chased by Milwaukee after giving up eight runs in 1 2/3 innings in his previous start on Saturday, allowed only a single in the fourth inning before Garrett Mitchell’s two-out solo homer in the seventh cut the lead to 3-1
Pfaadt struck out a career-high 12, including seven in a row to tie a franchise record, and walked none in a 104-pitch outing. A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez each followed with a perfect inning to complete the two-hitter.
Arizona (85-68) moved within two games of idle San Diego for the top NL wild-card spot. The New York Mets, who defeated Philadelphia 10-6 on Thursday, are tied with the Diamondbacks. Atlanta is in the first spot out of the playoffs, two games behind the Diamondbacks and Mets.
Pavin Smith put the Diamondbacks in front 5-1 in the eighth with his eighth homer off Joe Ross, following a one-out single by Christian Walker.
The Diamondbacks snapped a scoreless tie with three runs on one hit in the fifth. Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo opened with consecutive walks. Corbin Carroll then reached on an error by third baseman Andruw Monasterio, with Moreno scoring.
Ketel Marte followed with an RBI single off the wall in right, chasing starter Tobias Myers. Christian Walker’s one-out sacrifice fly off Aaron Ashby made it 3-0.
Myers (8-6) allowed three runs — one earned — on four hits in four innings, striking out five and walking three. Myers got the win in his previous start in the game against Pfaadt and the Diamondbacks.
Milwaukee (88-65), which clinched the NL Central on Wednesday, is three games behind the Phillies and Dodgers for the best record in the NL. The top two teams receive a first-round bye in the playoffs.
