Cubs 7, Diamondbacks 0: Gausman's Seven Scoreless and Back-to-Back Homers

Four-seamers at Chase, and Arizona never found a run

August 24, 2026 - Phoenix - Kevin Gausman threw 62 four-seamers out of 94 pitches. Arizona managed three hits against him. None of them became a run.

The Chicago Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-0. It was Gausman's best outing in Cubbie blue since the trade deadline move from Toronto, and Chicago's second shutout at Chase Field since 2002.

Milwaukee was idle. The Cubs gained a half-game in the NL Central and sat 5 1/2 back with 30 to play. Philadelphia's loss the same night also padded Chicago's wild-card cushion.

A 2-0 game until Conforto and Kelly stacked the sixth

Pedro Ramírez tripled Ian Happ home in the second. Seiya Suzuki doubled Michael Conforto home in the fifth. 2-0. Tight enough that one swing could have changed the mood.

Then Conforto and Carson Kelly went back-to-back with two outs in the sixth off Taylor Clarke. Conforto's two-run shot to right traveled 431 feet at 110.9 mph. Kelly, who spent 4 1/2 seasons in Arizona, answered with a solo to left. 5-0.

Happ doubled home a run in the seventh. Nico Hoerner's sacrifice fly made it 7-0. Conforto reached four times (single, double, homer, walk). Happ and Ramírez each had two hits. Chicago's first five runs all scored with two outs, the same habit that had the club leading baseball in two-out runs scored.

Gausman and Kelly made the heater the whole plan

Gausman worked seven innings, three hits, one walk, six strikeouts. The only time Arizona put a runner in scoring position against him was when Corbin Carroll stole his way there. Merrill Kelly (8-12) lasted 5 2/3, three runs, five hits, three walks, four strikeouts.

Ryan Zeferjahn threw a clean eighth. Caleb Thielbar allowed two hits in the ninth and still closed the shutout, helped by a sliding catch from Happ. Arizona finished with five singles and no extra-base hits.

AthX Engine put Gausman alone atop the pitcher board

AthX Engine scored Gausman at 27 pitching fantasy points, the night's clear pitching lead. Conforto scored 12 hitting fantasy points. The Cubs finished with 17 team fantasy points. Fantasy points measure the shutout. Price is what the market pays for a deadline arm who finally looked like the one Chicago traded for.

What's next

Clay Holmes faces Brandon Pfaadt on Tuesday. One seven-inning blanking does not finish August. It does move a wild-card race and put Gausman's page back where traders expect to find it.

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*Sources: ESPN recap, ESPN box score, MLB.com, AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*