Diamondbacks Win Third Straight with 7-4 Victory Over Brewers

The D-backs increase their cushion in the NL Wild Card race thanks to a solid all-around game

Sep 20, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second base Ketel Marte (4) hits a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

In the span of just a few days the Arizona Diamondbacks have turned around the narrative of a September collapse. With their 7-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night they retook the second Wild Card position by a game over the Mets and widened their lead over the Braves to three games with just eight games to play.

The offense and bullpen picked up Zac Gallen after the ace of the staff coughed up a 4-0 lead by allowing three homers in the fifth inning. Gallen struggled in the first inning once again, but managed to get out of the inning unscathed, needing 27 pitches to do so. It was the 11th time in 27 starts Gallen needed 20 or more pitches to complete the first inning.

After settling down for three innings, Gallen had an uncharacteristic bout with allowing the long ball. Coming into the game having given up just 10 homers, Joey Ortiz, William Contreras, and Garrett Mitchell all took him deep.

Prior to that the D-backs seemed in control of the game. As has been the case so often this year, Ketel Marte got it started with a homer in the first inning off of Brewers starter Colin Rea. It was Marte's 12th first inning homer and 33rd of the year. The All-Star second baseman also had an RBI double in the fifth inning.

Geraldo Perdomo had a good game, going 2-for-3 including a bases-loaded RBI single in the second inning. That was part of a two-run inning.

With the score tied 4-4 immediately following Gallen's meltdown, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. picked up a down dugout by knocking a long home run to left. It was Gurriel's 18th homer of the year, coming in his first game off the injured list from a strained calf. That kicked off a three-run inning, putting the D-backs up 7-4.

There the score would stay as the bullpen came in to record four shutdown innings. Kevin Ginkel, Justin Martinez, Ryan Thompson, and then finally A.J. Puk combined to record 12 outs without a run coming across. They gave up five hits, and struck out six without walking a batter.

Notably, Martinez worked the seventh inning and Puk was called upon to pitch the ninth for the save. Speaking to Jody Jackson after the game, manager Torey Lovullo said they needed a comfortable shutdown inning at that point in the game in that part in the lineup.

Lovullo explained further, saying "It was a big risk, I know, but [Martinez] is very flexible and he can throw in any inning at the biggest time. If you need a save in the seventh inning, that would have been one of those moments."

At the same time Puk is one of if not the hottest reliever in MLB at the moment. He gave up a single, but struck out three batters in the ninth. His scoreless streak is now up to 20.2 innings pitched, with eight hits, three walks, and 34 strikeouts. He recorded his second save as Diamondback.

Gallen ended up getting the win, and his record goes to 13-6 despite his ERA bumping up to 3.74. The D-backs' record is now 86-68. Game three of the series with the Brewers is Saturday at 4:10 p.m. Arizona time. Merrill Kelly will face fellow right-hander Aaron Civale.