D-backs Lose to Giants 7-3 with Ace Zac Gallen on the Mound

A rough outing by Gallen and big homer from Patrick Bailey sinks the D-backs

Patrick Bailey celebrates with Wilmer Flores after blasting tw0-run homer into McCovey Cove off Zac Gallen 4/20/2024 / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

At the moment the ball off Patrick Bailey's bat sailed over the wall in right field right into a kayak in McCovey Cove, it felt like the D-backs' chance to win the ball game sank. That two-run homer put the Giants up 5-3, and on their way to an eventual 7-3 victory. Just one day after the D-backs put up a franchise record tying 22 hits, Gallen and the bullpen allowed 16 hits to the Giants.

The D-backs scored first against Kyle Harrison on a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and a base hit from Christian Walker. That lead would not last long.

Jung Hoo Lee homered against Gallen in the bottom of the first, the first homer against Gallen this year. Two singles and a sacrifice fly followed as the Giants jumped out to a 2-1 lead. They got to Gallen for another run in the third. He gave up a base hit to LaMonte Wade Jr., issued a two out walk and fired two wild pitches before giving up an RBI double to Bailey.

The D-backs tallied two in the 4th to tie it up however. Eugenio Suarez was hit by a pitch and scored on a Blaze Alexander double. Kevin Newman delivered a two out RBI knock to bring in Alexander and tie it up 3-3.

Blaze Alexander will not be denied against Left Hand Pitching. 🔥

pic.twitter.com/zQzyiXlCte

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) April 20, 2024

Gallen couldn't make it stand up. He gave up a two out single to Wilmer Flores in the 5th, and then threw five straight fastballs to Bailey. The last one was a middle-middle pitch that Bailey crushed 110 MPH off the bat, landing 407 feet away to put the Giants up 5-3.

Gallen's final line was 5 IP, 9 Hits, 5 ER, 1 Walk, 6 K's, and two homers allowed. He threw 99 pitches, 65 for strikes. The home runs were the first he allowed this year. His ERA jumped from 1.64 to 3.00 as a result. The Giants tacked on two more runs against Miguel Castro in the 8th inning. Castro now has a 5.19 ERA.

Giants manager Bob Melvin pulled Harrison after just four innings. The D-backs offense was held to just one hit over the final five innings by the Giants bullpen. Camilo Doval struck out the side in the ninth inning.

Both teams have identical 10-12 records heading into the series finale Sunday. Merrill Kelly will face Jordan Hicks in what shapes up to be a tough matchup.