PHOENIX (AP) — Zac Gallen has never been too concerned with things like streaks or statistics, saying he’s done his job each inning if there’s a zero on the board for the other team.
It’s safe to say the job is going very well at the moment.
Gallen threw seven innings of two-hit ball to run his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings, Gabriel Moreno had three hits and three RBIs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 9-0 on Friday night.
“There’s no secret sauce,” Gallen said. “It’s just throwing up zeros, giving us a shot to win, prevent runs from scoring in big spots, buckle down and make pitches.”
Gallen (3-1) retired 14 straight Padres during one stretch, plowing through their star-packed lineup with a mid-90s heater and pinpoint control, striking out 11 and walking none. His scoreless streak is currently the longest in the majors.
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“Today was a special day for Zac Gallen,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “He had all of his stuff, all of his pitches working. You saw some very defensive swings from some really good hitters. You know he’s on his game.”
Miguel Castro pitched a spotless eighth and Joe Mantiply handled the ninth. The D-backs lead the NL West with a 12-9 record.
The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Moreno’s infield single that brought home Christian Walker, who got on base with a double. Ketel Marte’s RBI double into the right-center gap pushed the margin to 2-0. Marte finished with three hits and two RBIs.
Moreno broke the game open in the ninth with a two-run single that made it 5-0. Geraldo Perdomo added a two-run double as the D-backs continued to pile on in the final frame.
San Diego’s Seth Lugo (2-1) gave up two runs on six hits over six innings, striking out six and walking one. The bullpen got roughed up in the eighth: Luis García gave up five runs while recording one out and Reiss Knehr finished while allowing two more runs.
Xander Bogaerts gave the Padres their best scoring chance with a leadoff double in the second, but otherwise, the offense was quiet. The Padres — who have the third-highest payroll in baseball — fell to 10-12 this season.
“Our big boys haven’t heated up yet,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “But they’re here for a reason. They will.”
The 27-year-old Gallen set a franchise record last year with 44 1/3 scoreless innings from Aug. 8 to Sept. 11. That was the longest scoreless stretch in the big leagues since Zack Greinke’s 45 2/3-inning streak for the Dodgers in 2015.
San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. got his first hit of the season in the sixth inning, a line-drive single to center. He had started 0 for 7.
“It won’t be his last,” Melvin said. “I know that.”
Tatis returned Thursday after an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. That was his first regular-season game since 2021.
Tatis is making the transition to right field after playing shortstop for most of his big league career and has made a handful of good catches in his first two games. The Padres signed Bogaerts to a $280 million, 11-year deal during the offseason to handle shortstop.
Padres: Garcia took a line drive off his left calf in the eighth inning. Said Melvin: “He’s got a little soreness, started shaking it during the inning, but I think he’ll be all right.”
Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove, who is returning from a foot injury, will make his first start of the year on Saturday night. The Diamondbacks will counter with RHP Merrill Kelly (1-2, 2.53 ERA).
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