Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll each displayed their power with two home runs apiece, propelling the Arizona Diamondbacks to a decisive 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves, thus halting their five-game road losing streak on Tuesday night.
Starting pitcher Zac Gallen, who had experienced challenges in his recent outings with an ERA of 8.02 over his past four starts, managed to regain form by allowing only one earned run across seven innings. Gallen showcased command by surrendering just four hits, striking out four, and impressively retiring the first ten batters he faced.
Offensively, Marte was stellar, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two bases on balls. Carroll also made a significant impact on the scoreboard, amassing four RBIs and scoring three runs with a 3-for-4 performance, adding to his season total of 18 home runs.
Conversely, Braves pitcher Spencer Strider had a challenging outing, conceding three home runs and seeing his ERA rise to 5.68 after giving up five runs on six hits over five innings.
The Diamondbacks took an early lead in the first inning as Marte launched a commanding 445-foot home run into the right-field seats. Later, Carroll cemented the win with a three-run blast in the ninth inning, effectively putting the game out of the Braves’ reach.
Despite the Braves’ struggles, rookie catcher Drake Baldwin shone by hitting his sixth home run of the season and demonstrating his defensive prowess by throwing out two runners at critical points in the seventh inning. Baldwin has been recognized as the National League’s Rookie of the Month for May.
In a crucial defensive moment, Alek Thomas, Arizona’s center fielder, made a spectacular running catch with two outs in the eighth inning to prevent a game-tying hit from Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, preserving a 5-3 lead and extinguishing the Braves’ chances.
Highlighting some concerning stats for Strider, he has allowed at least one home run in 11 of his last 14 outings, including playoff games, spanning back to the 2023 season. This season alone, Strider has surrendered five home runs in 19 innings pitched.
Looking ahead, the Diamondbacks will send right-hander Merrill Kelly, who holds a 5-2 record with a 3.78 ERA, to the mound for the next game. His opponent will be Chris Sale, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, who has a 3-3 record with a 3.06 ERA, as they continue the three-game series on Wednesday.