D-backs fall just short of clinch despite Gallen's strong start

PHOENIX -- Any celebration will have to wait at least one more day.

The Astros saw to that by beating the D-backs, 2-1, on Friday night at Chase Field in front of a crowd that had hoped to see Arizona clinch its first postseason berth since 2017.

The D-backs still need to win one more game or have the Reds lose another game in order to clinch a Wild Card spot.

• Games remaining (2): vs. HOU (2)
• Standings update: The D-backs (84-76) hold the No. 2 Wild Card spot. They are a half-game ahead of the Marlins (83-76) and two games ahead of the Reds (82-78) and Cubs (82-78). Cincinnati and Miami hold the tiebreaker over the D-backs. Arizona holds the tiebreaker over the Cubs and can’t be passed by them.
• Magic number: 1 to clinch a spot in the postseason
• Path to postseason: If the D-backs beat the Astros on Saturday OR the Reds lose, Arizona clinches an NL Wild Card spot. If Arizona loses and the Reds win, it comes down to the final day of the season on Sunday. Here are all the potential tiebreak scenarios if it comes down to Game 162.

The D-backs sent their ace, Zac Gallen, to the mound Friday in hopes of wrapping things up, and the right-hander pitched well, allowing just two runs over 6 1/3 innings with both of the runs coming on José Abreu’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning.

The Arizona offense, however, struggled to solve Astros starter José Urquidy, who was a last-minute replacement for J.P. France, who had to tend to a family emergency. Urquidy allowed just two hits over six innings.

The stakes were high with both teams looking to capture Wild Card spots in their respective leagues and with a loud crowd of 36,133 in attendance, the game had a bit of a playoff feel to it.

That may have led to the D-backs hitters being a little too anxious at the plate.

“I think there were some at-bats that could have been a little bit more mature,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’ve got to keep talking about it, preaching it to those young hitters that are making some early-count outs in some critical at-bats.

"This had a playoff atmosphere to it, and I think good teams do that one through nine, where they just grind you down and force you to throw the pitch where you're looking for it. So yeah, I think it was 36 pitches for their starting pitcher in the first two innings and then 34 pitches for the next four. We got to be better than that.”

The game hinged on a couple of plays, both of which went against the D-backs by inches.

The first one came in the eighth with two outs and runners at second and third. Tommy Pham hit a grounder that looked like it might sneak up the middle for a two-run single.

Instead, Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña made a diving stop, got to his feet and retired Pham at first by less than a step.

“That's why this game is so amazing, right?” Lovullo said. “It can be so rewarding and then absolutely rip your heart out basically, all in one play. And you know, we were on an emotional roller coaster as the play is happening, but look, good players make good plays and that shortstop is a very good player.”

Then in the ninth, after a rare error by Astros second baseman Jose Altuve extended the inning, Gabriel Moreno hit a deep drive to left-center.

Off the bat, it looked like the ball might get over the wall for a game-tying homer. Instead it hit off the wall for an RBI double.

With the loss, the D-backs now must start No. 2 starter Merrill Kelly on Saturday night against Houston’s Justin Verlander. Had the D-backs won and clinched a postseason berth, they could have skipped Kelly and had him available for Game 1 of a potential Wild Card Series.

“We got to sleep this one off,” Lovullo said. “Figure out how to get better, make some quality adjustments and make sure we're ready tomorrow.”