MIAMI (AP) — Zac Gallen pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat Sandy Alcantara and the Miami Marlins 5-0 on Sunday.
Corbin Carroll homered for Arizona, and Pavin Smith and Christian Walker also had two hits apiece.
Gallen (2-1) retired his first 13 batters before Bryan De La Cruz singled with one out in the fifth. Avisaíl García then was hit by a pitch before Gallen retired Jean Segura on a flyout and struck out Jacob Stallings.
“I just tried to make pitches, I knew it was going to be a close game with Sandy on the mound,” Gallen said. “I did my best to keep us in it and give ourselves a shot to win.”
Gallen struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings and walked none. Kevin Ginkel then got four outs before Kyle Nelson finished a four-hitter.
Miami had won four straight games, including the first two of the series.
“These are the ones we’re always looking for and it comes on the heels of two tough losses,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “Then, turning around and getting Alcantara didn’t make it any easier. That’s why I’m so proud of these guys. We had the right starting pitcher set the tone.”
Alcantara (1-2) permitted five runs, four earned, and seven hits in six innings. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner struck out nine and walked none.
Alcantara has dropped his last two starts after throwing a three-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Minnesota on April 4.
“It’s better when it happens early in the season,” Alcantara said. “I know what I have and what I need to do to improve.”
Arizona broke it open with four runs in the sixth. The outburst started when Josh Rojas reached on an error on Alcantara, who dropped first baseman Garrett Cooper’s throw. The ball rolled into foul territory, allowing Rojas to advance.
“I’m sure (Alcantara) wasn’t very happy about it, especially for me to come around and score,” Rojas said.
Smith singled in Rojas and scored on Walker’s double. Carroll added a two-run shot on a drive to center that gave the Diamondbacks a 5-0 lead.
“That made me a little frustrated,” Alcantara said of his miscue. “It let them take a chance on me. They jumped on me.”
Alek Thomas’ RBI single in the second put Arizona ahead 1-0.
THE LINK BETWEEN GALLEN AND ALCANTARA
Gallen and Alcantara each got their start as prospects with the St. Louis Cardinals. They were traded to the Marlins for slugger Marcell Ozuna after the 2017 season. The Marlins then dealt Gallen to Arizona for Jazz Chisholm Jr. in 2019.
“We grew up together with the Cardinals then with the Marlins,” Gallen said. “Just competing against him is a lot of fun. I knew I had to bring my A game today.”
FINAL FOUR COACH TAKES THE MOUND
FAU men’s basketball coach Dusty May threw a ceremonial first pitch. May guided the Owls to an unprecedented run in the NCAA Tournament.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: INF Ketel Marte (right foot swelling) got the day off, but Lovullo doesn't expect him to miss additional time. ... LHP Joe Mantiply (left shoulder inflammation) threw two scoreless innings in his second rehab outing with Double-A Amarillo on Saturday.
Marlins: García exited with a right wrist contusion in the seventh. He swung and missed before the pitch hit his wrist. Jesús Sánchez completed the at-bat and struck out. ... LHP Steven Okert (left adductor strain) had another successful rehab outing with Triple-A Jacksonville when he tossed two scoreless innings on Saturday. Okert has struck out nine over 4 2/3 innings in three appearances with the minor league club.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (0-2, 2.93 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis on Monday against Cardinals RHP Jack Flaherty (1-1, 1.76 ERA).
Marlins: LHP Jesús Luzardo (2-0, 1.93 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game home set against San Francisco on Monday. The Giants will start RHP Logan Webb (0-3, 4.76 ERA).
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