Zac Gallen strikes out career-high 11 batters in loss vs. Padres

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen set a career high for strikeouts with 11 in a 3-2 loss against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.

Gallen caused swings and misses left and right with his offspeed pitches, producing whiffs on 75% of his knuckle curves and half his changeups, according to Statcast.

His fastball touched 96 MPH and averaged 94 MPH.

Gallen’s previous punch outs high was 10 from a start in 2020 against the Colorado Rockies, a 4-0 win for Arizona. His season high was nine entering Tuesday.

A career-high 11 strikeouts from The Milk Man tonight. 💪 pic.twitter.com/qOK1ODi4kE

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 22, 2022

The 26-year-old tossed six two-run innings on Tuesday and exited the game with the score tied 2-2. He threw 115 pitches, his highest career count.

He surrendered a game-tying solo shot to Eric Hosmer with two outs in the sixth inning while at 109 pitches. Lefty Joe Mantiply was in the bullpen, but manager Torey Lovullo kept his starter in to finish the inning. Gallen struck out Hosmer twice before the slam.

His ERA after the outing was 2.92.

The righty has thrown at least five innings and allowed two or fewer runs in four of his last five outings. He tossed seven frames and gave up a pair of runs in a 7-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds last week.

Tuesday’s game went to extra innings, and the Padres walked it off in the 11th.

The D-backs and Padres close their series Wednesday at 1:10 p.m. from Petco Park. Catch the action on ESPN 620 AM or 98.7 FM HD-2

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