Phillies at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks aren't going away and will try to get a little closer in the National League wild-card race when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday for the rubber match of their three-game series. Arizona pulled within 2 1/2 games of Philadelphia for the second wild card with an 8-4 victory on Tuesday in a game started by Mike Leake, who replaced ace Zack Greinke in the rotation.
Eduardo Escobar set a career high with 84 RBIs last season, but he's up to a major league-leading 92 after driving in three runs for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday - including two on a homer that increased his personal-best total to 25. David Peralta, who missed 14 games last month with a shoulder injury, homered for the first time in 32 contests Tuesday and is 8-for-23 with six RBIs in his last six. The Phillies are one game behind Washington for the first wild card and one-half game ahead of St. Louis for the second after falling to 12-11 since the All-Star break with their third loss in five contests. Jason Vargas takes the mound on Wednesday after an encouraging debut with Philadelphia and opposes rookie Zac Gallen, who makes his first start for the Diamondbacks.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Jason Vargas (6-5, 3.93 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zac Gallen (1-3, 2.72)
Vargas settled for a no-decision after allowing two runs and five hits with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of Philadelphia's 4-3 loss in 15 innings to the Chicago White Sox on Friday. The 36-year-old Californian won his last three starts with the New York Mets, posting a 2.50 ERA during that stretch with 17 strikeouts in 18 innings. Alex Avila has gone 5-for-17 with two home runs against Vargas, who is 2-3 with a 6.82 ERA in six starts against the Diamondbacks.
Gallen yielded two runs, four hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings of a tough-luck 2-1 loss to Minnesota on July 30 in his final start with Miami. The 24-year-old native of New Jersey and third-round pick by St. Louis in the 2016 draft hasn't permitted more than three runs in any of his seven career starts and has notched 43 strikeouts in 36 1/3 frames. Gallen is reunited with catcher Carson Kelly as the two were teammates in the Cardinals' organization.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona CF Ketel Marte (NL-most 139 hits) has hit safely in all 10 of his games versus the Phillies (16-for-39) after going 1-for-4 on Tuesday.
2. Philadelphia rookie OF Adam Haseley on Tuesday went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for his fifth multi-hit performance in the last 10 contests, raising his average 75 points to .280.
3. Diamondbacks RHP Archie Bradley allowed two hits in the ninth on Tuesday but extended his scoreless innings streak to 12 games with 19 strikeouts in 15 1/3 frames.