Diamondbacks' Bullpen, Offense Struggle in Ugly Loss to Reds

The Arizona Diamondbacks failed to complete a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Aug 13, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Juan Burgos (52) throws to the plate during the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks fell to the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon by a score of 6-1. Zac Gallen pitched well, but Arizona's offense and bullpen both had sub-par performance.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen Makes Excellent Start

Gallen was excellent on Sunday, though he had to work hard to get out of the second inning.

Gallen pitched six innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits and a walk, while striking out seven.

He ran into immediate trouble in the second inning, giving up a single and a walk, but ended the frame scoreless with a strikeout of Matt McLain. Gallen had to throw 28 pitches in the inning, however, which limited an outing that became efficient very quickly.

After the second, he retired 10 of the next 11 batters. But with one out in the sixth, Gallen gave up a triple off the center field wall to Noelvi Marte. A subsequent poor relay and throwing error by Geraldo Perdomo allowed Marte to score and even the game at 1-1.

"Zac was doing all that he could, he was keeping us in the game, he kept that lead," manager Torey Lovullo said postgame.

"Overall, I thought he was real good. He was on the attack with several pitches, reading swings, just going to work and doing his job the best way that he could to keep us in this game."

Unfortunately, Arizona's bullpen was not sharp.

Gallen gave way to Juan Morillo in the seventh, who loaded the bases while recording just one out. Lefty Kyle Backhus entered and needed just one pitch to keep the game tied with a ground ball double play.

Backhus exited with one out in the eighth and a runner at second. Juan Burgos entered and gave up a single to give the Reds a 2-1 lead, sticking Backhus with an earned run.

Burgos would give up a second single and a three-run homer, putting the game out of Arizona's reach.

John Curtiss finished the inning, plating one of Burgos' bequeathed runners as the Reds took a commanding 6-1 lead. Curtiss threw a 1-2-3 ninth.

"Things unraveled there in the eighth inning, it's not anything you predict," Lovullo said. "We made some mistakes in the middle of the zone, and that's what happens when you have good hitters that come up in crucial situations, they're ready to execute. We can't make those types of mistakes."

Arizona Diamondbacks' Offense Held in Check

One night after exploding for 10 runs on 14 hits, Arizona could hardly muster enough offense to scrape across one run.

That run came in the first inning, as Geraldo Perdomo led the game off with a 102.4 MPH triple to right field. He scored on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. sacrifice fly.

But from there, Reds starter Brady Singer had the D-backs' number. Perdomo's triple was the only hit allowed by the veteran righty. They did work three walks, but struck out nine times against Singer.

"We couldn't get anything going offensively today," Lovullo said. "Felt like if we had some more opportunities to tack on some runs, things might have been a little different. But their starting pitcher was very stubborn, did a nice job."

Arizona got just one other base hit on the day — a single by Corbin Carroll in the eighth inning. Carroll finished 1-for-2 with two walks.