Brandon Pfaadt Ties Franchise Record in Magnificent Outing

Pfaadt did something not seen since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2001.

Sep 19, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Brandon Pfaadt followed up the worst outing of his career with arguably his best Thursday night, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

In seven dominant innings, Pfaadt struck out a career high 12 batters without walking anyone. On the way to doing that he also tied a franchise record by striking out seven consecutive batters from the fourth through the sixth innings. That hadn't been done since 2001, when Randy Johnson did it three times and Curt Schilling once.

The only blemish was a solo homer by Garrett Mitchell with two outs in the seventh inning. That came on a sweeper that was down but over the middle of the plate. His final line was 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 12 K. His record goes to 10-9, and he lowered his ERA to 4.66.

Pfaadt changed up his repertoire for this game, utilizing his four-seam fastball 42 times, as opposed to his sinker (19 times) and sweeper (22 times). Painting the four-seamer at the top of the zone all night, the Brewers' hitters could not catch up to it, as he generated 14 swing and misses on the pitch.

For Pfaadt it was an emphatic return to effectiveness after a difficult run of starts over the previous five weeks. That stretch culminated in an eight-run beatdown in just an inning and two thirds by these same Brewers. He said following that outing that he planned to change up the game plan, and clearly the changes worked.

The offense worked patient at-bats during the first four innings, running up Tobias Myers' pitch count. Three singles, a walk, and a bunch of long at-bats, including a 10-pitch at-bat by Jake McCarthy made Myers work.

That paid off in a three-run inning in the fifth. Ironically, the D-backs had just one hit in the inning, a bullet off the top of the right field wall by Ketel Marte that ended up being an RBI single. Two walks, an error and sacrifice fly were the events of the inning that secured the early 3-0 lead.

Pavin Smith drilled a two-run homer in the top of the eighth, answering back the Brewers' lone run off Pfaadt in the seventh. It was Smith's eighth homer of the year and fifth in just 40 September at-bats. Smith had a three-homer game on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, and tonight's blast on Fox's Baseball Night In America makes the second time he's come up big on national television.

Pavin Smith enjoys playing on national TV. pic.twitter.com/tcjNj1BMoA

— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) September 20, 2024

Not to be overlooked, Eugenio Suarez made three excellent defensive plays in the first three innings, helping to set the tone for Arizona. A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez each pitched a dominant inning in relief to close out the game.

The D-backs record is now 85-68, reaching 85 wins for the first time since 2019. The Mets and Braves both won, so Arizona remains the number three NL Wild Card, two games ahead of the Braves. They pick up a half game on the idle Padres, closing to within 2.0 games for the first Wild Card spot.

Game two of the series is Friday night at 5:10 p.m. Ace Zac Gallen will start for the D-backs, opposed by right-hander Colin Rea.