Arizona Diamondbacks vs Atlanta Braves: Zac Gallen settles down but Braves take 3-1 lead

The Atlanta Braves scored three times and forced Zac Gallen to throw 59 pitches in the first two innings, but the Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander found a rhythm made it through five innings. The Braves lead, 3-1, after five innings on Friday night at Chase Field.

The Braves worked a pair of walks but did not score in the first, forcing Gallen to throw 27 pitches. They scored three times in the second, getting four hits, including doubles from Eli White and Alex Verdugo.

Gallen retired the side in the third, fourth and fifth innings, presumably finishing his outing by retiring 10 consecutive batters. He was at 102 pitches after five.

The Diamondbacks got on the board against Braves left-hander Chris Sale in the fourth on a run-scoring single from Jorge Barrosa.

That came after a pair of squandered scoring opportunities.

In the first, they loaded the bases with one out, but Sale struck out Josh Naylor before getting Eugenio Suarez to fly to center. In the third, the Diamondbacks got a one-out triple from Corbin Carroll but left him standing at third.

—Nick Piecoro

Topping the list of Diamondbacks injury information prior to their April 25 series opener against the Braves, the exact diagnosis and length of absence for left-handed relief pitcher A.J. Puk (elbow inflammation) still has yet to be made public. And the return of second baseman Ketel Marte appears imminent, perhaps as soon as the team’s upcoming road trip to New York and Philadelphia.

Marte (strained left hamstring) ran bases on April 25 wearing baseball spikes, at near 85 or 90 percent, manager Torey Lovullo said. That positive development has Marte in line to play defense, hit and run lightly out of the batter’s box in a game on April 26 at Salt River Fields.

He’s been on the 10-day injured list since April 5, a day after pulling up while running for a double at Washington.

“What does that mean moving forward? We’re not sure,” Lovullo said. “But the fact that he’s playing second base, he’s in a game, live pitching, more suited towards what’s really going to be happening once he returns here, it is a very good sign.”

Puk went on the 15-day injured list on April 18, and the Diamondbacks are waiting for multiple assessments from leading doctors before they announce Puk’s status.

Lovullo said he is very optimistic that Puk will pitch again this season.

Right-handed reliever Kevin Ginkel (shoulder inflammation) will throw on April 26 in a game in Reno, and right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman (back strain) will throw in the same game that Marte is playing. The plan for him is one inning and 25 pitches.

Left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks, struck by a line drive on April 24 and forced to leave the game against Tampa Bay with a left forearm contusion, was still dealing with the issue the next day. But he was on the field for the pregame workout and was deemed available before the game against Atlanta by Lovullo.

The Diamondbacks also made a roster move on April 25, calling up right-handed pitcher Yilber Diaz from Triple-A Reno after sending right-hander J.P. Feyereisen back to Reno following the April 24 game.

Feyereisen appeared in two games after being called up last week, and allowed two earned runs in two innings. Diaz made five starts in Reno this season before being brought up, and Lovullo said he will provide length out of the bullpen if a starting pitcher gets in early trouble.

Diaz was 1-1 in seven games (four starts) with the Diamondbacks last season.

-José M. Romero

The thing that has given Lovullo the most heartache this week, he said, was not having late-innings specialist Justin Martinez available to pitch for most of it.

Going into the Diamondbacks’ April 25 game against Atlanta, Martinez had worked one inning since April 17, a scoreless frame on April 23 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He expressed to Lovullo that he wanted to pitch but felt fatigue in his throwing shoulder, and prior to the game on April 25 said he felt ready to get back on the mound.

Martinez indicated he was good to go the previous night, an extra-innings loss to the Rays, but the Diamondbacks elected not to have him work two nights in a row. Thus, Martinez was not available to close out the ninth inning, and the Diamondbacks lost a lead and the game.

“We approach it very carefully, and I’ve been saying it for the past couple of days, people in this community and in this town want me to throw Martinez and (A.J.) Puk and (Jalen) Beeks every single day. It’s just impossible,” Lovullo said.

“They’re short sprinters, they’re not marathon runners. So I’ve got to manage their workload very carefully.”

Puk is on the injured list with an elbow problem, and Lovullo took responsibility for Puk’s injury.

“We all know what happened to A.J.. I didn’t do a good job of that,” Lovullo said. “(Martinez is) going to pitch on the very back end of these games. And had he been available yesterday, he 100 percent would have been in in the ninth inning. But he just wasn’t available. Everything is indicating he’s available (April 25) and we’re going to put him in the most important part of the game to help us win.”

-José M. Romero

Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-3, 5.60) vs. Braves LHP Chris Sale (0-2, 6.17).

At Chase Field: Gallen struggled in Chicago last weekend, giving up six runs in the first two innings, though he did turn in four scoreless innings after that. … Gallen has only two quality starts through his first five outings. He has allowed 15 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings in his three losses. … In five career starts against the Braves, Gallen has a 3.19 ERA. … Sale battled injuries during a four-year stretch from 2020-2023, but he bounced back in a big way last year, posting a 2.38 ERA and winning the National League Cy Young Award. He has not been as sharp this year, however, having failed to get beyond five innings in any of his five starts. … His fastball has been getting torched this season, allowing an incredible .516 average and .839 slugging against. The velocity on the pitch (94.3 mph) is down only a half tick from last season (94.8 mph) … Sale faced the Diamondbacks twice last season and won both games, logging a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 innings.

Saturday, April 26: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (3-1, 4.73) vs. Braves RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.22).

Sunday, April 27: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (4-1, 2.73) vs. Braves RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (1-1, 2.56).

Monday, April 28: Off.

Tuesday, April 29: At New York, 4:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (1-2, 4.40) vs. Mets LHP David Peterson (1-1, 3.29).

The Braves briefly welcomed back RHP Spencer Strider from elbow surgery, but he landed back on the injured list after just one start due to a hamstring strain. They are still awaiting the return of OF Ronald Acuna Jr., who is recovering from knee surgery. Several Braves hitters who started the year slowly have begun to heat up, including 1B Matt Olson, CF Michael Harris II and 3B Austin Riley, all of whom are hitting at least .333 in their past week of games. DH Marcell Ozuna is off to a great start, hitting .318/.500/.530 with four homers through 21 games. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach, whom the Diamondbacks will face on April 27, has turned in strong starts in four of his five outings this year.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks vs Braves: Zac Gallen settles down, but Braves lead 3-1

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs Atlanta Braves: Zac Gallen settles down but Braves take 3-1 lead

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