Arizona Diamondbacks Overcome Early Shortfall to Defeat Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 and Secure NL Wild Card Series Sweep

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Two years after enduring a season with 110 losses, the Arizona Diamondbacks are now celebrating their victory and advancing to the National League Division Series, affirming their newfound sense of belonging in the playoffs.

“In 2022, a turnaround became evident toward the season’s end. This year, participating in the October games was precisely what we had anticipated,” stated Zac Gallen, who was instrumental in the Diamondbacks’ 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers this past Wednesday. This victory not only secured the night for Arizona but also completed their sweep of the NL Wild Card Series.

This marks the first appearance for the team in the NL Division Series since 2017. The Diamondbacks are now set to face the NL West champion, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in a best-of-five series opener this Saturday in Los Angeles.

For the NL Central champion Brewers, this loss is part of a broader, concerning pattern; they have lost nine of their last ten playoff matches, commencing with a Game 7 home loss to the Dodgers in the 2018 NL Championship Series.

“The postseason is a challenging landscape to navigate,” acknowledged Brewers manager Craig Counsell. “Regrettably, we haven’t succeeded in doing so.”

Speculation has shifted toward the future of Counsell, who has been managing the Brewers since 2015 and led them to five postseason appearances in the last six seasons. Though the team’s principal owner, Mark Attanasio, has expressed a desire to retain Counsell, the manager himself has yet to reveal his plans.

Counsell refrained from commenting on his future prospects following Wednesday’s defeat, simply stating, “This is not the time for that discussion.”

In the Wednesday game, Ketel Marte’s two-run single ignited a four-run surge in the sixth inning against Milwaukee’s right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta, who had initially begun strongly. Gallen conceded two runs initially but subsequently maintained a solid performance for the rest of his six innings on the mound.

The series sweep signals another milestone in the Diamondbacks’ rapid ascent. Their performance this season is a sharp contrast to their 52-110 record in 2021, which tied them with the Baltimore Orioles for the worst in Major League Baseball that year.

The team credits their remarkable progress to factors such as Corbin Carroll’s exceptional rookie season and consistent strong performances from Gallen and Merrill Kelly as starting pitchers.

“Given the adversity we’ve faced and the low points we’ve had, this achievement feels incredibly special,” noted Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. “There is a heightened emotional charge pervading this organization and its clubhouse right now.”

Demonstrating resilience, Arizona overcame early deficits in each of the last two games to secure their wins, joining an exclusive club of teams to do so in their first two postseason games.

Alek Thomas delivered Arizona’s first hit of the game with a home run in the fifth inning, providing a momentum shift against Peralta, the Brewers’ starting pitcher.

Following that, a sequence of events unfolded in the sixth inning that saw Milwaukee’s pitching falter, leading to the Diamondbacks scoring four runs and subsequently sealing their 5-2 victory.

Despite a late attempt by Milwaukee to stage a comeback, Arizona’s bullpen, which had previously been under scrutiny, proved effective, securing the series win.

Injuries also made their presence felt. Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno was struck by a backswing but remained in the game temporarily before being replaced by José Herrera in the third inning.

For detailed coverage, visit AP MLB: https://bigbignews.net/MLB

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More about Arizona Diamondbacks NL Wild Card Series Sweep

• Arizona Diamondbacks Official Website
• Milwaukee Brewers Official Website
• Major League Baseball (MLB) Official Website
• ESPN MLB Coverage
• Baseball Reference: Arizona Diamondbacks Season Statistics
• Baseball Reference: Milwaukee Brewers Season Statistics
• AP MLB News
• The Athletic: Diamondbacks’ Turnaround
• Craig Counsell Managerial Record
• Zac Gallen Player Profile