The Diamondbacks needed Zac Gallen to step up and provide a strong start. He did just that, and a big sixth inning propelled them to a 9-2 blowout win over the Baltimore Orioles to salvage the series finale.
Gallen was efficient early on, setting down 12 of the first 13 hitters in just 48 pitches. The only baserunner up to that point was a walk to Jordan Westburg with two outs in the second. He got clipped for a single run in the fifth and sixth innings but managed to minimize the damage in each inning to keep the Orioles from creeping back in the game as the hitters were able to blow the game open. The Diamondbacks ace finished with just those two runs allowed in six innings, allowing just three hits, walking two, and striking out four to pick up his fifth win of the season.
Gallen, whose fastball velocity was down a tick compared to 2023, saw his stuff tick up in this start. His four-seamer averaged over 94 MPH and he had a good feel for the changeup for the first time this season. Facing an aggressive Baltimore lineup, he needed only 86 pitches to get through those six innings. With a seven-run lead, manager Torey Lovullo decided to clip him after six and hand it over to the bullpen.
Orioles starter Dean Kremer had it working early against the Diamondbacks, setting down the first nine hitters he faced with five strikeouts. However, they adjusted the second and third time through the lineup to put pressure on Kremer in the middle innings. Corbin Carroll doubled to lead off the fourth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Christian Walker, who missed a home run by a few feet. Arizona plated two more runs in the fifth, taking advantage of the Orioles failing to execute a force play at home.
The big hits came in the sixth inning. After a walk to Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jake McCarthy stepped up to the plate. He got a fastball at the top of the zone from Kremer and crushed a ball down the right field line for the game’s biggest hit.
“My first couple of at-bats, I was getting beat by the heater,” said McCarthy, who popped out to shortstop in his first two at-bats. “Going into that third one, he threw me a similar pitch and I didn’t want to get beat in the same fashion. It’s a hard pitch to keep fair, but lucky enough it scooted around the pole.”
The Diamondbacks were not finished tacking on runs in the inning. Kevin Newman and Tucker Barnhart drew walks to extend the inning, followed by Carroll reaching on an infield single when Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson played a ball up the middle a bit too casually. Arizona capitalized on those mistakes, as Ketel Marte punched a ball through the right side to score two runs. That single extended Marte’s hitting streak to 13 games, the longest active streak in the major leagues. Randal Grichuk capped off the inning by smoking a ball off the left field wall for a two-run double.
The game went into a weather delay in the top of the eighth as the rain picked up. After about half an hour, the players got back on the field. Matt Bowman and Justin Martinez picked up the final nine outs to close out the win.
After a successful 4-2 road trip, their first winning road trip of the season, the Diamondbacks will return home to Chase Field for a six-game homestand. The first team they’ll play is the Cincinnati Reds, who they swept in three games at the start of the road trip. Jordan Montgomery and Graham Ashcraft will square off again, with Arizona winning the first matchup 4-3, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 PM MST.
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