Pfaadt outduels a Cy Young winner, shuts down Braves through 7 scoreless innings

ATLANTA – In a half-season of trials and tribulations for Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Pfaadt, perhaps the 27-year-old right-hander has hit his stride.

Pfaadt’s 5.92 ERA over his first 13 appearances (three starts) earned him a demotion to Triple-A Reno in early June. Since Pfaadt’s return to the Diamondbacks on June 30, he’d been virtually untouchable with a 6-0 record and a 1.32 ERA over those eight starts.

Entering a contest against Chris Sale and the National League East-leading Braves at Truist Park on Friday, Pfaadt was undaunted.

For the second time in as many starts, Pfaadt delivered seven scoreless innings and allowed just two hits as the D-backs downed the Braves 2-0. Pfaadt struck out seven with no walks as he outdueled Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young and Triple Crown winner. Sale allowed one earned run on five hits over six innings.

It was the third time this season that Pfaadt has pitched seven scoreless innings, and all three of those outings have happened since he accomplished the feat for the first time on July 28.

As the D-backs are in a tight race for a National League Wild Card spot, Pfaadt could be peaking at the perfect time. The D-backs are 8-1 in the last nine games Pfaadt has started.

Pfaadt didn’t get much run support, but an RBI groundout by Gabriel Moreno in the top of the first was all the offense Pfaadt needed while Tim Tawa homered in the ninth for insurance.