Chris Sale pitched well for 5 1/3 innings against Zac Gallen, Adam Duvall hit a three-run home run, and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Duvall’s homer in the sixth inning increased Atlanta’s lead to 5-0. It was a 441-foot shot into the left field seats that ended Gallen’s frustrating night.
“We’re getting hits when we need them,” Duvall commented. “Tonight, we had a lot of runners on base, so we were putting pressure on them. Hopefully, we can keep that up.”
This was a bright spot in a challenging season for Duvall, who entered the game batting just .184 with seven home runs.
Sale (12-3) faced difficulties in the first inning, walking Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno to load the bases with two outs. However, he managed to induce a groundout from Jake McCarthy to escape the jam.
The next four innings were smoother, but Sale encountered trouble in the sixth inning, allowing a single to Moreno followed by McCarthy’s RBI triple. Sale, who leads MLB with 12 wins, gave up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out nine.
“Tonight was a grind,” Sale admitted. “After the first inning, I took a moment to regroup and refocus.”
Despite battling injuries in recent seasons, Sale has emerged as one of the top pitchers in the league this year at age 35. He will represent the Braves at the upcoming All-Star game.
Sale is scheduled to pitch again for Atlanta on Sunday, which means he likely won’t be available to pitch in the All-Star game two days later on July 16. However, Sale, making his eighth All-Star appearance, emphasized that his priority is the Braves’ success.
“The most important thing is the team and winning games,” Sale emphasized. “We’re focused on our goals, and that’s what matters most.”
