The Arizona Diamondbacks avenged their walk-off Monday loss to the Cleveland Guardians with a 6-3 Tuesday night win at Progressive Field.
The D-Backs jumped on Guardians starter Triston McKenzie (7-8) with a 3-run spot in the opening frame with two walks and a single, which culminated in a 3-run home run by Christian Walker - the second consecutive game in which Walker launched a 3-run shot off of Cleveland pitching.
“I think it set the tone for the game,” McKenzie stated after the contest. “I just think my tempo was a little slow early on. As the game progressed, I definitely calmed the tempo.”
McKenzie managed six innings of work, in which he gave up six hits and four runs, along with two walks and seven strikeouts.
D-Backs starter Zac Gallen (6-2) picked up the win on a 5.2-inning performance, in which the right-hander allowed six hits and three runs while striking out five and walking three.
After Arizona picked up the early lead in the first, the Guardians managed to get a run back in the bottom half on a Jose Ramirez RBI single that scored Steven Kwan. Ramirez notched his 85th RBI on the season, while Kwan extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a 1-for-3 performance.
Luke Maile also added to the Cleveland output with an RBI single of his own in the top of the 2nd, bringing the score to 3-2. However, Alek Thomas extended Arizona’s lead with a 5th inning 2-run RBI double off McKenzie, making it 5-2 D-Backs.
Maile would step up again in the sixth and rope a run-scoring double to deep center, but Arizona's Carson Kelly responded with a solo home run in the top of the 7th to finish the game's scoring. D-Backs reliever Ian Kennedy earned his fifth save of the season.
The Guardians (53-50) and D-Backs are set to play their series finale tomorrow at 1:10 p.m., with Shane Bieber (5-6) slated to face off with debut-making rookie Tommy Henry.
Triston McKenzie (7-8) works six innings; Luke Maile drives in pair of runs






