MILWAUKEE — The resilient Arizona Diamondbacks rallied again on the road to complete a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League wild-card series.
Ketel Marte’s single keyed a four-run rally, Zac Gallen battled through six innings and the Diamondbacks came back for a 5-2 victory over the Brewers in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Arizona overcame a 2-0 deficit to conclude the best-of-three series, having escaped a 3-0 hole to win the opener 6-3 on Tuesday.
The Diamondbacks advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, with Game 1 set for Saturday in Southern California. Arizona finished 16 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.
“We know the Dodgers very well, and it’s going to be a great challenge, but I know this team is connected, and I feel like this team is very dangerous when they are connected,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.
Gallen (1-0) allowed two first-inning runs but kept the NL Central champions from adding on. The right-hander gave up five hits, struck out four and walked three in a 100-pitch effort.
“They did a good job running the pitch count up, and I knew going into this game that we used a lot of the bullpen last night, so if I didn’t go deep, it was going to put us in a hole for potentially tomorrow,” Gallen said.
“So I just really tried to stay in attack mode and just tried to make pitches. I mean, unfortunately I was letting the leadoff batter on a lot of those innings, but just tried to make pitches when I had to and just keep us in it, keep the offense in it, give us a chance to win the game.”
Things unraveled quickly for Brewers starter Freddy Peralta, who did not allow a hit until Alek Thomas’ two-out solo homer in the fifth inning that pulled Arizona within 2-1.
The Diamondbacks scored four runs in the sixth to go in front 5-2. Geraldo Perdomo walked to open the inning, and Corbin Carroll followed with a double down the right field line. Marte lined a two-run single to center to put the Diamondbacks up 3-2, chasing Peralta.
Tommy Pham scored on a bases-loaded wild pitch by Abner Uribe, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. blooped an RBI single to shallow left.
The Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth on three singles, but Andrew Saalfrank took over on the mound and got a pair of fielder’s-choice grounders to end the inning.
Paul Sewald stranded runners on second and third in the ninth for his second save in as many days.
“They got the big outs when they needed to get the big outs,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “We didn’t get the big hits when we needed to get the big hits.”
Milwaukee jumped on Gallen for two runs in a 32-pitch first inning. Christian Yelich singled, Carlos Santana worked a nine-pitch walk with one out and Mark Canha singled to load the bases. Sal Frelick followed with a sacrifice fly, and Willy Adames lined an RBI single to center.
The Brewers threatened in the third with consecutive one-out singles by Santana and Canha, but Gallen knocked down Frelick’s scorching comebacker and recovered for an inning-ending double play.
Arizona catcher Gabriel Moreno left in the third inning after he was struck in the helmet on Brice Turang’s backswing.
“He is doing OK. He is not in the concussion protocol,” Lovullo said. “I think they’re running some tests on him right now, but obviously it was a backswing, and it’s just part of the game.”
After clinching the NL Central early, the Brewers appeared in good position with their Big Three — Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Peralta — ready for three games at home. But Woodruff was scratched from the series with a shoulder injury that was announced Monday, and Burnes failed to hold a 3-0 lead in the opener.
“Look, we’re disappointed,” Counsell said. “These chances are sacred for players that you get this window to have a great month of October, and so it hurts for it to be over.”
–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media
