Zac Gallen dazzles again but gets little run support in Miami Marlins’ loss to Twins
Zac Gallen, with just a half-dozen major-league starts under his belt with the Miami Marlins, maneuvered his way through one of Major League Baseball’s toughest lineups on Tuesday with minimal damage.
The problem: He didn’t get enough support from his offense.
So Gallen’s latest impressive performance to start his MLB career went to waste in a 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins to begin a three-game series at Marlins Park.
Gallen, the 23-year-old righty acquired as part of the Marcell Ozuna trade, held a hard-hitting Twins lineup to just two earned runs on four hits and three walks (one intentional) over seven innings. Gallen threw a career-high 105 pitches, one third of which were either called strikes or swings and misses. He struck out eight, one shy of his career high.
“You just trust your stuff and start having more confidence,” said Gallen, who has a 2.72 ERA through seven starts. “The more you’re here, the more you start believing your stuff can get these guys out.”
Tuesday marked the second consecutive start that Gallen has made it through seven innings after not making farther than 5 1/3 through his first five starts.
“He seems like he has relaxed a little bit,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “To be honest with you, the first few didn’t look like the same guy we kind of looked at on tape and video from Triple A. Once he got his feet wet, relaxed a little bit ... we’ve seen him be able to throw the ball pretty much wherever he wants.”
But his two mistakes — and a lack of run support — were enough to spoil the game. Byron Buxton opened scoring with a solo home run in the third inning on a curveball low in the zone and Miguel Sano tacked on an RBI double in the fourth.
That turned out to be enough for the Twins (65-41), who held the Marlins (41-64) to four hits. Curtis Granderson doubled twice, his second driving in Starlin Castro for Miami’s lone run of the game.
Tuesday marked the 33rd time this season the Marlins were held to one run or fewer. They have lost all 33 of those games.
Cooper exits
First baseman Garrett Cooper left Tuesday’s game after two innings with a tight left hamstring. He is day-to-day.
He grounded out to shortstop Jorge Polanco to end the first inning and pulled up slightly running to first in his lone at-bat against the Twins. He went out to the field and played defense during the second inning.
Cooper said he had felt soreness over the past couple days and played through it.
“It just pulled up a little bit tighter today,” Cooper said, adding he doesn’t believe the injury is serious.
Neil Walker, who started the game at third base, moved to first in Cooper’s absence. Martin Prado took over at third base.
Cooper leads the team with a .294 batting average to go along with 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 41 runs scored.
More injury updates
▪ Starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (right shoulder strain) continues his rehab assignment with Double A Jacksonville with his next start scheduled for Friday. Lopez gave up four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings on Sunday in his first game action since going on the injured list June 19.
▪ Utilityman Jon Berti (oblique) continues his rehab assignment with Triple A New Orleans. He was scheduled to play seven innings at shortstop for the Baby Cakes in their late game Tuesday in Las Vegas.
▪ Relief pitcher Drew Steckenrider (flexor strain), on the IL since May 8, threw a 30-pitch bullpen session.
This and that
▪ Miami Heat first-round pick Tyler Herro threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Tuesday.
▪ Sergio Romo, who the Marlins traded to the Twins on Saturday, threw the eighth inning for Minnesota. He quickly recorded two flyouts, hit Brian Anderson and then struck out Martin Prado to strand the game-tying run on the basepaths.
▪ Trevor Richards, moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen on Friday, has now thrown three scoreless innings in relief after keeping the Twins off the board in the ninth inning.
▪ Miguel Rojas extended his hitting streak to seven games. He is batting .400 (10 for 25) in that span with three home runs.
This story was originally published July 30, 2019 at 10:22 PM.
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