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UNC Baseball: Zac Gallen Extends Scoreless Inning Streak

By Aaron Conrad

Sep 4, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former UNC baseball pitcher Zac Gallen has extended his scoreless inning streak to 41 1/3 innings

Zac Gallen is on some kind of streak.

The former UNC baseball standout right-handed pitcher threw seven more scoreless innings on Sunday for the Arizona Diamondbacks, extending his streak to 41 1/3 scoreless. This streak also includes six consecutive starts of at least six innings pitched without allowing a run.  After Sunday’s outing, the former Tar Heel’s ERA currently sits at 2.42, which is sixth-best in the entire sport.

Gallen was with the Tar Heels for three seasons from 2014-2016. He finished the 2016 season with a 5-6 record and a 2.68 ERA over 90.2 innings pitched. He walked just 21 batters over that span while striking out 95 hitters.

After becoming a key component of the Tar Heels rotation, Gallen was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. He made his major league debut three years later with the Miami Marlins on June 20, 2019.

He was traded to the Diamondbacks on July 31, 2019, and has found success in the desert. He finished his first year in Arizona going 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA. In 2020 he followed it up with a 3-2 record and a 2.75 ERA.

Overall for his young career, Gallen is 19-17 with a 3.18 ERA. In that span, he has struck out 462 hitters over 419 innings.

To recognize his outstanding month of August, Gallen has earned the National League Pitcher of the Month Award. In a lost season for the Diamondbacks, the former UNC baseball standout has surely been a much-needed bright spot for the organization.

According to Steve Gilbert with MLB.com

"Gallen is the fourth AL/NL pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) to throw six or more scoreless innings in six straight starts, joining Don Drysdale (1968), Orel Hershiser (1988) and Zack Greinke (2015).The D-backs’ record for consecutive scoreless innings is owned by right-hander Brandon Webb, who tossed 42 straight in 2007. The Major League record of 59 belongs to Hershiser, who accomplished the feat in 1988."

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