Gallen a stopper in first start after Deadline: 'Happy to be here'

WEST SACRAMENTO -- Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo calls Zac Gallen a “separator” for his ability to pitch out of jams without incurring much damage.

Gallen lived up to that fully Saturday night against the Athletics, allowing nine hits in six-plus innings but giving up only two runs in a 7-2 victory over the Athletics.

Gallen’s outing came on a night when the D-backs’ offense cranked out three home runs and got production throughout the lineup.

Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas hit solo home runs, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning as the Diamondbacks ended their six-game losing streak.

As good as the offense was, Gallen was all that, if not better.

The right-hander had only one 1-2-3 inning but prevented the A’s from mounting much of a threat. Tyler Soderstrom’s two-run double in the third was about the only hiccup.

“It’s no secret that we’ve been scuffling the last two weeks or so,” said Gallen, who struck out three and earned his first victory since July 7. “So just tried to make pitches and put us in a spot to be able to win. I just try to bear down and make pitches in those spots.”

Gallen, making his first start since the club opted not to move him at the Trade Deadline, had three strikeouts with no walks.

“One of his greatest qualities is when there’s men on base, he gets super stubborn and super tough,” Lovullo said. “That’s when he really starts to get after it and compete.”

The win put a positive spin on what had been a wild week for Arizona. The Diamondbacks were involved in multiple trade talks and made several moves that reshaped their roster.

Gallen was projected by many to be one of the players the Diamondbacks would trade. It wasn’t until he received a call from general manager Mike Hazen near the Deadline that the veteran knew he was staying put.

That was welcome news for Gallen, who has lived in Phoenix since 2020 and shares a home with his fiancee.

“This organization, this city, the community means a lot to me,” Gallen said. “I’m happy to be here. The next 50-plus games, there are a lot of guys in here that have things to prove, whether that’s individually or as a team.”

Gallen is among those players. While he avoided being traded, he can become a free agent after the season.

For now, he’s content trying to help the Diamondbacks salvage as much as they can from the remaining 51 games.

The Diamondbacks as a whole were still still dealing with a lot of the trade fallout when they landed in Sacramento to begin this Interleague series against the A’s. Ending their skid should help the D-backs move on.