Diamondbacks’ Ryne Nelson sets career high with 9 Ks in win vs. Cubs

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ryne Nelson set a career high with nine strikeouts Friday in a 5-2 victory against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The D-backs (50-48) gave him enough run support with 12 hits and three walks, as the club came out of the All-Star break sharp to stay above .500.

Nelson cruised through the first five innings with two hits allowed before Michael Busch doubled in the sixth on a 3-2 changeup. Busch was the first Cubs hitter to reach scoring position.

Following a walk, Nelson struck out Ian Happ to secure his career high for the second out.

Manager Torey Lovullo pulled Nelson at 96 pitches to get Kevin Ginkel in the game. Ginkel let in one inherited runner, so Nelson’s final line was 5.2 innings, one earned run on three hits, two walks and the nine punch outs. He produced 12 whiffs, 11 on the fastball he peppered up in the zone.

The D-backs led 5-1 after six innings.

“I’m trying to keep it just one outing at a time or one day at a time. … I feel like keeping that level-headed mindset, even when I’m out there pitching, it’s one pitch at time and trying to be present,” Nelson said. “I think that mindset has really helped me a lot.”

Nelson entered Friday having delivered at least 5.0 innings with three or fewer earned runs allowed in five of his last six appearances.

Ryne Nelson, 97mph Elevated Fastball (Ball) and 86mph Slider (backwards K), Overlay. pic.twitter.com/7QuGy04t9v

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 19, 2024

With the D-backs still waiting for the returns of Jordan Montgomery (as soon as next week), Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez, Nelson has proven himself vital to the club staying in the wild card fight.

He has a 3.81 ERA since the start of June, and the D-backs are 6-3 in those games.

His previous career high for Ks of eight came against the Chicago White Sox on June 14 when he threw six one-run innings.

Nelly Nasty brought the good stuff. 🔥

His 9 strikeouts were a career high. pic.twitter.com/IYvYkEijQY

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 19, 2024

The D-backs’ offense, meanwhile, created chance after chance to score. Arizona rallied for three runs in he third inning with RBI knocks from Gabriel Moreno, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Christian Walker and two more in the fifth.

Moreno recorded three hits on Friday, while Walker drove in a pair of runs.

“We’re just good hitters, you know, and I think we have good game planning,” Lovullo said. “So what it is exactly I don’t know. I know that they go out there with a really good idea of how to attack each pitcher and it certainly worked today against Steele.”

Arizona, however, finished the game 5-for-19 with runners in scoring position, struggling to put the game away.

The game got dicey in the eighth inning, as the Cubs had the bases loaded with nobody out against Justin Martinez. Arizona turned to Ryan Thompson, and he limited the damage to one run.

Paul Sewald stranded two runners in the ninth to record the save.

“I have no problem with the way the intensity of the game picked up and we had to kind of sit on it for a little while. That got us right back into a rhythm. You know, I have no problem with that,” Lovullo said. “The boys went out there and executed.”

Lovullo had a clear message with his players to rest but stay locked in to come out firing in the “second half” (Game 100 is Sunday). Arizona entered the break one game back of a wild card spot and ahead of the Cubs by 2.5 games in the race.

“I talked to the boys about a month ago, I said, ‘Let’s just get within striking distance at the All-Star break,'” Lovullo told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo. “So we’re in a good spot. We gotta go out and play our best baseball.”

Zac Gallen will get the start on Saturday with a chance to capture a series victory. Chicago will start veteran Kyle Hendricks.

First pitch is at 4:15 p.m. on 98.7, arizonasports.com and the Arizona Sports app. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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