Game Recap 6/16/23 | Guardians Lose 5-1 at Diamondbacks

Observations from the Game

3 things about Guardians’ loss to Diamondbacks:

1 – McKenzie scratched

Triston McKenzie was scratched from tonight’s game because of right elbow tightness. During the WTAM broadcast, it was announced that an MRI will be done on McKenzie. In his place, Touki Toussaint was brought up from Columbus and made the start going 3 2/3’s innings.

2 – Zunino DFA’d, Bo brought up

Toussaint was put onto the 40-man roster and to make room on the roster, Cleveland designated catcher Mike Zunino for assignment. Also, it was announced that catcher Bo Naylor was going to be brought up and will join the club on Saturday in Arizona.

3 – Hitting streak over

Josh Naylor’s hitting streak is over at 14 games as he went 0 for 4. Naylor’s final at-bat was his best opportunity as he hit a line drive right to the pitcher.

Game Summary

On Friday night, Zac Gallen delivered an impressive performance, striking out seven batters in six effective innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks snapped their three-game losing streak by defeating the Cleveland Guardians 5-1. It was a much-needed victory for the Diamondbacks, who had recently lost three out of four games to the Philadelphia Phillies. The win also marked the beginning of Cleveland’s first series at Chase Field since 2017.

Gallen, who had a rare rough outing in his previous start, rebounded strongly. He allowed only one run, a solo home run by José Ramírez in the fourth inning, and surrendered four singles. Prior to that, he faced the minimum number of batters and displayed excellent control, walking none and allowing only two runners to reach second base. Chase Field seemed to be a favorable venue for Gallen, as he had an outstanding record of 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last four starts there.

The Diamondbacks’ offense capitalized on five walks issued by Touki Toussaint, a last-minute starter for the Guardians. These free passes helped Arizona take an early 2-0 lead. As the game progressed, the Diamondbacks continued to add runs, with five different players contributing RBIs and a total of 11 hits throughout the game. Christian Walker smashed a run-scoring double off the wall in the first inning, followed by Geraldo Perdomo’s sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. In the sixth inning, Pavin Smith and Corbin Carroll added to the score with an RBI single and an RBI double, respectively. Ketel Marte sealed the victory with a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, extending Arizona’s lead to 5-1.

Toussaint, who had to hastily travel from Omaha to make the start due to Triston McKenzie’s injury, struggled with his control during the game. He allowed two runs on three hits before being replaced after three consecutive two-out walks in the fourth inning. Xzavion Curry entered the game and managed to induce an inning-ending groundout, preventing further damage.

Overall, it was a solid performance by the Diamondbacks, both on the mound and at the plate, as they secured a convincing victory over the Guardians.

Up Next

Saturday 6/17 10:10 PM EST – Game 2 of 3 at Diamondbacks