The Diamondbacks had a chance to take a share of a National League Wild Card spot with a win but couldn’t finish a comeback against the Toronto Blue Jays in a 8-7 loss at Chase Field. Zac Gallen got crushed in a six-run fourth inning, but the team fought back into the game. However, a late home run by Vladimir Guerrero proved to be the difference.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Already trailing 1-0, the fourth inning completely unraveled for Gallen. Four straight base hits opened the inning, extending Toronto’s lead to three. A walk to Leo Jiménez loaded the bases for Kevin Kiermaier, who crushed a cutter on the inner third of the plate for a grand slam. The Blue Jays chased the Diamondbacks’ ace with two outs in the inning.
Following a triumphant return from the injured list on June 29, Gallen’s last three starts have been subpar. He’s allowed 15 runs on 20 hits over 13 innings to the Dodgers, Braves, and Blue Jays. He’ll have a chance to regroup and prepare for his next start after the break.
In the final game before the All-Star break, Arizona’s fundamentals broke down on defense. In that four-run inning, Gallen failed to back up third base on a wild throw from Lourdes Gurriel Jr., allowing the runners to advance an additional base. While Kiermaier’s grand slam ultimately rendered the play moot, it’s the type of baseball the Diamondbacks had not been playing in their last 14 games.
However, the team fought their way back in the fifth, tying the game 7-7. Jake McCarthy reached on a swinging bunt, then Eugenio Suárez and Geraldo Perdomo walked to load the bases for All-Star starting second baseman Ketel Marte. Marte showed why he was worthy of those honors, crushing a first-pitch curveball high off the batter’s eye in center field for a grand slam to cut the deficit to three.
This is why Ketel Marte is starting the All-Star game. His grand slam cuts the deficit to 3 after a flat first four innings. pic.twitter.com/lG7kmwxdoa
— Burn City D-backs Talk????️ (@BurnCityDbacks) July 14, 2024
Not done there, three former Blue Jays continued the rally against their former club. A walk by Gabriel Moreno followed by opposite field hits by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Randal Grichuk brought the Diamondbacks within two. After a walk to Perdomo loaded the bases, Suárez split the middle infielders to score two and tie the game.
#Dbacks erase a 7-0 deficit. Eugenio Suárez’s two-run knock ties it. pic.twitter.com/YmFFSdmo5q
— Burn City D-backs Talk????️ (@BurnCityDbacks) July 14, 2024
Toronto regained the lead in the seventh, as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushed a Kevin Ginkel slider to the home run porch to the right of straightaway center field. While it wasn’t a bad pitch in terms of location to most hitters, it was to the All-Star first baseman.
The Diamondbacks were unable to get the big hit to close out the game. Suárez had a leadoff hit in the eighth but was stranded at third. Christin Walker singled with two outs in the ninth, but that’s as close as they’d get in the game.
The Diamondbacks will go into the All-Star break having won 10 of their last 15 games, and winning three of their last four series. They’ll have a chance to put themselves in position to be buyers at the trade deadline in the second half of a month. After four days off, they’ll face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field for three games.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
