D-backs answer Brewers after early deficit, win Game 2 of wild card

The Diamondbacks trailed 2-1 heading into the sixth inning of Game 2 of the NL Wild Card series Wednesday night at Milwaukee.

The “Answerbacks,” as they’ve come to be known, exited the frame with a cozy 5-2 lead, which they maintained for the rest of the game.

With the 5-2 victory, Arizona completed a sweep of the best-of-three series and advanced to a NL Division series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That series begins Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Game 3 and Game 4 (if necessary) will be staged at Chase Field on Oct. 11 and 12, respectively.

After a shaky first inning in which he gave up two runs, Zac Gallen pitched six innings, and four relievers held Milwaukee scoreless the rest of the way.

Trailing 2-1, Geraldo Perdomo walked to open the sixth before Corbin Carroll sliced a broken-bat double toward first baseman Carlos Santana. The infielder had a chance at grabbing the ball, but the bat shard streaking his way appeared to impact his ability to cleanly field the ball, which got past him and allowed Carroll to roll to second.

Ketel Marte then singled to center, scoring Perdomo from third base as well as Carroll to give Arizona a 3-2 lead.

Ketel Marte gives the Diamondbacks the lead! pic.twitter.com/RWShqpfiLF

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 5, 2023

The Brewers pulled starting pitcher Freddy Peralta after Marte’s hit and replaced him with Abner Uribe.

Tommy Pham greeted Uribe with a single to right field that sent Marte to third.

Christian Walker then reached on a fielder’s choice during which Marte got caught in a rundown between third base and home and was eventually tagged out by Brewers third baseman Josh Donaldson.

After catcher Jose Herrera, who entered the game as a replacement for injured starter Gabriel Moreno, walked to load the bases, Uribe threw a wild pitch and Pham raced home from third.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. then singled to right field, scoring Walker for a 5-2 lead.

Alek Thomas, who started the comeback with a solo homer in the fifth inning, grounded into a double play to end the four-run top of the sixth.

The D-backs last played in the NLDS in 2017 against LA. The Dodgers swept that best-of-five series.

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