Diamondbacks burnt by early home runs in loss to Angels

The Arizona Diamondbacks fell short of sweeping the Los Angeles Angels this weekend in Anaheim after dropping Sunday’s series finale, 5-2.

D-backs (50-35) starter Zac Gallen — named an NL All-Star during Sunday’s game — settled in after a rocky first two innings in which the Angels took a 4-2 lead.

He struck out six batters through two frames but allowed four runs on two homers. Mike Trout took him deep off a cutter in the first, and Mickey Moniak hit a three-run shot off a knuckle curveball with two outs in the second.

From there, Gallen allowed one hit through the seventh inning, tying a season-high 12 strikeouts. He retired 14 batters in a row at a point to keep the D-backs in the game.

Gallen’s fastball was up to 94.3 mph, and he leaned on it to get 12 swings and misses with only seven balls in play.

Didn't get the result today, but Zac Gallen tied his season-high with 12 strikeouts.

Now we wait to see if the @Dbacks ace will start for the National League in the All-Star Game. #ArizonaBorn pic.twitter.com/10uOgGcvX3

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) July 2, 2023

The righty similarly found a groove in his last start on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, as he allowed four runs in the second inning but none for the next four frames.

The problem for Arizonan Sunday was Angels starter Reid Detmers had it going with six innings of two-run ball and nine punch outs.

Detmers allowed a two-run shot to Carson Kelly, the veteran catcher’s first of the year, but that was it.

It is the fifth straight game the left-hander has fanned at least eight and allowed two or fewer runs. He’s the first Angels pitcher to do that since Nolan Ryan in 1972-73.

The D-backs only picked up five hits on Sunday, as the top of the order struggled to get anything started. Ketel Marte, Kyle Lewis and Christian Walker combined to go 0-for-12 with six strikeouts.

Southpaws gave the D-backs trouble the past two days, as Angels LHP Tyler Anderson threw five scoreless innings on Saturday.

The Angels added insurance with a Shohei Ohtani solo home run 454 feet in the eighth inning. The blast off Kyle Nelson was Ohtani’s sixth homer during the Halos’ seven-game homestand.

Like clockwork.

Shohei Ohtani launches his 31st homer of the season! pic.twitter.com/OLw9ASpLwE

— MLB (@MLB) July 2, 2023

D-backs All-Star starter Corbin Carroll was not in the lineup for the third straight game (shoulder soreness) but came up as a pinch hitter in the ninth. He grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Carlos Estévez pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Arizona won the first two games of the series 6-2 and 3-1, respectively.

The Los Angeles Dodgers also lost on Sunday, so Arizona’s lead over their division foes remained at three games.

All-Stars

Gallen was not the only D-backs All-Star announced on Sunday, as OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also made the team. They will join Carroll in Seattle on July 11, as the rookie grabbed a starting spot for the NL.

All three players are first-time All-Stars.

Up next

The D-backs have Monday off before returning to Chase Field Tuesday on the Fourth of July.

Arizona will host the New York Mets for a three-game series.

First pitch on Tuesday is at 1:10 p.m. on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. 

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