PHOENIX (AP) — Zac Gallen returned from a hamstring injury that sidelined him a month to pitch one-hit ball over six innings in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 3-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
Ketel Marte had three hits and drove in a run to help the Diamondbacks snap a three-game losing streak.
Galen (6-4) left his previous outing May 30 at the New York Mets after facing one batter. He was diagnosed with a strained right hamstring and was placed on the injured list.
Gallen threw 77 pitches and 50 for strikes against Oakland. He walked one and struck out seven. The only hit against him was Brent Rooker’s two-out single in the first. The only other Oakland hit came in the seventh.
Last season, Gallen was 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA in leading the Diamondbacks to the World Series. He was the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game and finished third in NL Cy Young voting.
Kevin Ginkel pitched two innings, allowing one hit, and Paul Sewald worked the ninth for his 11th save.
Marte, honored with a bobblehead giveaway on Saturday that drew 39,843 to Chase Field, drove in Arizona’s first run with a two-out single in the second inning.
Three singles in the third, capped by Jake McCarthy’s two-out hit, made it 2-0. Lourdes Gurriel Jr.‘s RBI double ended Hogan Harris’ outing. Harris (1-2) gave up 10 hits but just three runs as Arizona left two runners on in each of the first four innings. The Diamondbacks stranded 11 in the game.
Osvaldo Bido pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings for Oakland in relief of Harris.
In the first inning, Christian Walker’s fly ball down the left-field line hit close to the yellow padding in fair territory was ruled a foul ball. Replay overturned the call and gave Walker a double, but Gurriel, running from first with two outs, was sent back to third. Randal Grichuk fouled out to end the inning.
With the loss, the A’s fell to 7-19 in June and has lost 16 of their last 20 games. Oakland ended an 11-game road losing streak Friday night with a 9-4 win at Chase Field.
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Oakland RHP Luis Medina (1-3, 5.25) was set to face RHP Brandon Pfaadt (3-6, 4.45) on Sunday in the series finale.