Diamondbacks turn to Zac Gallen in finale vs. Brewers

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Field Level Media
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Jun 16, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws to the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Chase Field.
Jun 16, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws to the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Chase Field.
Image: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The visiting Arizona Diamondbacks will turn to ace right-hander Zac Gallen in the rubber match of the three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon

Gallen (8-2, 2.96 ERA) will be opposed by right-hander Julio Teheran (2-2, 1.78), who was rescued from the minor leagues in late May.

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Milwaukee evened the series at a game apiece on Tuesday night, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to rally for a 7-5 victory. The Brewers overcame an early 4-0 deficit for their largest comeback victory of the season

"I think this is a good team and it's a team that's playing really well right now," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of the Diamondbacks after the Tuesday win. "Tomorrow, whoever's pitching is a challenge, but we beat a very good team tonight. We beat a team that's playing very good baseball.

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Milwaukee, which lost the series opener 9-1, is a major-league-best 34-6 when scoring four or more runs and 4-29 when scoring three or fewer. The Brewers have won 14 of the past 17 meetings with Arizona in Milwaukee

Ketel Marte had three hits for the Diamondbacks, including a three-run homer, to extend his on-base streak to 14 games. He is hitting .353 (18-for-51) with three homers, three doubles, 11 RBIs, 12 walks and 19 runs over that span

"I'm comfortable right now at the plate," Marte said, "and I'm healthy. When I'm healthy, I can do something like that."

Gallen is 2-0 with a 2.97 ERA over his past five starts, allowing 10 runs in 30 1/3 innings.

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In his latest start, Gallen gave up one run over seven innings in a 5-1 win over Cleveland.

Gallen is 2-3 with 1.86 ERA in five career starts vs. the Brewers. He is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts at Milwaukee

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Teheran will be making his sixth start since being signed by Milwaukee on May 25 after opting out of his minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.

"I think he joined the Brewers a little bit late, but he's just a professional pitcher," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "He's going to hit his spots, he's going to change speeds, side to side

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"We're not going to take anything for granted. We know he's going to come out here and try and catch us. It should be a good game. It's the rubber match of the series. We like our guy, too."

Teheran has not allowed more than two runs in any of his starts with the Brewers. He picked up the win his last time out, allowing two runs on one hit in six innings during a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday

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Teheran is 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 11 career starts against the Diamondbacks

The Brewers got an unexpected boost on Tuesday from Jesse Winker, who finally hit his first homer. His 42 games this season without a homer represented the second-longest drought of his career, behind only a 46-game stretch in 2017 and '18 with the Cincinnati Reds

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Winker, acquired in an offseason trade with Seattle, hit 24 homers with the Reds in 2021 and 14 last season with the Mariners.

"Jesse's had a tough go of it so far. Everybody's rooting for that guy," Counsell said. "Jesse was ultimately the happiest, but everybody had a big smile and a deep breath. It's got to feel good."

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--Field Level Media