Gallen, Diamondbacks hold off Phillies 4-3; move 2 games back of last NL wild-card berth

PHOENIX (AP) — Zac Gallen held the Phillies to four hits over seven innings, James McCann scored the go-ahead run in the sixth after a double and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated Philadelphia 4-3 on Saturday night.

Arizona went back over .500 at 78-77 and moved within two games of the final wild-card spot in the National League. Cincinnati, which won Saturday, is one game behind the New York Mets.

Blaze Alexander and McCann hit back-to-back doubles against Phillies starter Aaron Nola to tie the game at 3-3 and Ildemaro Vargas singled off reliever Tanner Banks for the go-ahead run.

Gallen (13-14) struck out nine — five looking — and walked two. He threw 103 pitches, equaling his season high. John Curtiss pitched the ninth for his first save as a Diamondback and third of his career.

Alec Bohm homered for the Phillies, who clinched their second straight NL East title last weekend.

Nola (4-10) went 5 1/3 innings for Philadelphia, giving up seven hits and four runs. He walked two and struck out four. Nola fell to 0-6 on the road this season.

It took six pitches for the Phillies to take the lead. Harrison Bader had a four-pitch walk and Kyle Schwarber lined a double to left, scoring Bader easily. Schwarber later scored on J.T. Realmuto’s deep sacrifice fly to center. Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte drove in runs to tie the game.

Bohm’s homer, his 10th, was his first since Aug. 17. He was sidelined for two weeks with left shoulder inflammation.

Third baseman Alexander robbed Bryce Harper of a single in the eighth, getting a force at second and keeping the Phillies from having two on and none out.

Gallen has an MLB-leading 27 decisions this season, two more than San Francisco’s Logan Webb.

Philadelphia’s Ranger Suárez (12-6, 2.84 ERA) opposes fellow lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (8-8, 5.12) for Arizona in Sunday’s series finale.

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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber celebrates with Brandon Marsh after scoring a run against the Arizona Diamondbacks on a ball hit by J.T. Realmuto in the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks' James McCann hits an RBI double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen throws against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s presidential election was plagued by widespread delays Thursday in addition to a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986.

Some polling stations remained closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7 a.m. start time due to “technical challenges," according to the nation's electoral commission, which asked polling officers to use paper registration records to ensure the difficulties did not “disenfranchise any voter.”

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change.

The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls were expected to close at 4 p.m., but voting was extended one hour until 5 p.m. local time. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours.

In the morning, impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala.

“We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said.

Wine, the candidate, alleged electoral fraud, noting that biometric voter identification machines were not working at polling places and claiming that there was “ballot stuffing.”

Wine wrote in a post on X that his party's leaders had been arrested. “Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations,” the post said.

Museveni told journalists he was notified that biometric machines weren't working at some stations and that he supported the electoral body's decision to revert to paper registration records. He did not comment on allegations of fraud.

Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours.

Nganda said the delays likely would lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support. "It’s going to be chaos,” he said.

Nicholas Sengoba, an independent analyst and newspaper columnist, said delays to the start of voting in urban, opposition areas favored the ruling party.

Emmanuel Tusiime, a young man who was among dozens prevented from entering a polling station in Kampala past closing time said the officials had prevented him from participating.

“My vote has not been counted, and, as you can see, I am not alone," he said he was left feeling “very disappointed.”

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago.

The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and possible vote tampering.

Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking.

There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week.

Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person.

Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday.

“You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said.

The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote.

“Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right."

Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.”

Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.

Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, right, greets election observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at his home in Magere village on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Billboards of Uganda President and National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni are seen in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Samson Otieno)

Electoral workers deliver ballot boxes to a polling station during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters are reflected in a police officer's sunglasses as they wait in line after voting failed to start on time due to system failures during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters wait to cast their ballots during the presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)