Ildemaro Vargas extends hit streak, Zac Gallen struggles in loss to Cubs

Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas’ big day couldn’t lift Arizona over the Chicago Cubs in a 6-5 loss on Friday.

Going 4-for-4 with four singles, an RBI and a walk, Vargas paces MLB with a .404 batting average.

He needed just one at-bat to extend his hitting streak to 27 games dating back to last season.

Vargas now stands alone in second place for the longest hitting streak in franchise history, passing Paul Goldschmidt (26).

He sits just three games away from tying Luis Gonzalez’s franchise-leading mark of 30.

Batting second in the order, Vargas turned on an 87-mph splitter for a single up the middle. It was Arizona’s second hit of the frame after Geraldo Perdomo’s leadoff single.

In addition to passing Goldschmidt in the franchise record books for most consecutive hits, Vargas set a new hitting record for a player born in Venezuela. He passed Wilson Ramos (2019 New York Mets) for the top spot.

Ildemaro Vargas logró su 27mo juego consecutivo conectando hit, récord para un jugador nacido en Venezuela.

¡GRANDE, ILDEMARO! pic.twitter.com/XuYFsURUTP

— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) May 1, 2026

The streak is also the second-longest since Detroit’s Ron LeFlore in 1976.

Vargas continues to be one of the biggest bright spots for the Diamondbacks.

Entering play Friday, Vargas paced the Diamondbacks in batting average (.378), OPS (1.087), home runs (six) and RBIs (20) despite playing in 23 of Arizona’s 30 games.

The early hitting didn’t lead to runs, however, with Chicago getting out of the top of the first inning unscathed before tacking on three runs in the bottom half.

Vargas, however, trimmed Chicago’s early lead to 3-1 with an RBI single in the third inning.

He added two more singles across his next two at-bats before a walk in the ninth.

Zac Gallen struggles in series opener

Zac Gallen failed to make it four innings in his first start since being hit by a comebacker his last time out.

He allowed six earned runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings of work. He struck out a trio and registered three walks.

Gallen (1-2) now sports a 4.45 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP in seven starts (32.1 innings pitched).

He made way for reliever Ryan Thompson, who allowed a hit and one walk in 1.1 innings before Brandyn Garcia struck out a pair in 2.0 innings.

Kevin Ginkel followed them up with a clean eighth inning.

Related

Who were the Diamondbacks' standout players in April?Diamondbacks reinstate C Gabriel Moreno, call up LHP Brandyn GarciaHow Diamondbacks’ 2025 trade deadline played out 1 year laterDiamondbacks have more options to handle closer-by-committee than in the recent pastDiamondbacks president: ‘I would be surprised’ if we don’t make tradesDiamondbacks will not make a trade that leads to luxury tax penalties