Latest news with #Phoenix
Washington Post
4 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
Arizona Diamondbacks ace Gallen labors in latest start of up-and-down season
PHOENIX — Zac Gallen has been one of baseball's best pitchers the past three seasons, the player the Arizona Diamondbacks could rely on when things weren't go so well. The Diamondbacks are in a rut and not even their ace has been able to pull them out of it. Gallen (3-7) labored for the fourth straight start, allowing six runs in less than six innings of a 10-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Arizona Diamondbacks ace Gallen labors in latest start of up-and-down season
PHOENIX (AP) — Zac Gallen has been one of baseball's best pitchers the past three seasons, the player the Arizona Diamondbacks could rely on when things weren't go so well. The Diamondbacks are in a rut and not even their ace has been able to pull them out of it. Gallen labored for the fourth straight start, allowing six runs in less than six innings of a 10-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. 'I don't want to be overly critical of Zac because he's so good and can be an elite, dominant major league pitcher for his next start to the rest of the season, but at this point I know how frustrated he is — I can see it,' Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. 'The inconsistencies of results have been there, so it's an indication that he's grinding for sure.' Gallen has been grinding more this season perhaps more than any other time since he arrived in the desert in 2019. The right-hander won at least 12 games the previous three seasons — a high of 17 in 2023 — has annually been in the mix for the NL Cy Young Award, finishing third two seasons ago. Gallen has been dominant at times this season, labored others. The 29-year-old opened the season by allowing four runs in four innings against the Chicago Cubs, then tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Yankee Stadium his next start. The up and down continued from there. Gallen had consecutive games of allowing one run in wins over the New York Mets, but also has allowed at least four runs seven times — one more than the entire 2024 season. He has allowed 19 earned runs over 22 innings his last four starts and his 5.54 ERA is on pace to be the highest of his career by more than a run. The biggest issue: walks. Gallen has been a pitcher who's around the plate most of his career, yet has struggled at times to find the zone this season. He's walked 32 already this season at a rate of 4.2 per nine innings — well over his career average of 2.9. Gallen walked three against the Pirates, all to lead off innings. All three scored. 'Obviously, it's really frustrating because for me, I'm not really trying to walk anybody,' said Gallen, who allowed five earned runs on five hits in five-plus innings. 'There pitches I missed by an entire plate, trying to go in and throwing it in the other batter's box. It just feels very uncharacteristic, in a way, that walks been an issue.' Gallen had been the Arizona's rock, the player they could count on after a difficult loss or stretch of games. He couldn't come through against the Pirates, extending a stretch where nothing seems to be going right for the Diamondbacks. The loss to the Pirates came a night after Arizona gave up seven runs in the eighth inning of a 9-6 loss to the Pirates. Above .500 since the second game of the season, the Diamondbacks are now 27-28 after their seventh loss in eight games. 'In this game, when you're down it'll get you, that's for sure,' Gallen said. 'Obviously, you can't say keep doing what we're doing, but just keep plugging away, just kind of keep hitting that rock and one day it will break.' Based on Gallen's past performances, it's just a matter of time. ___ AP MLB:
Reuters
5 hours ago
- General
- Reuters
Paul Skenes dominates as Pirates rout Diamondbacks
May 28 - Paul Skenes threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings, Oneil Cruz homered and drove in three runs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-1 in the rubber game of a three-game series in Phoenix on Wednesday. Skenes (4-5) gave up four hits, struck out seven, walked none and hit a batter while dropping his ERA to 2.15. It was his 10th quality start in 12 appearances this season. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits including two doubles, Henry Davis had two hits and an RBI and Jared Triolo had two hits for the Pirates, who broke it open with a five-run sixth after winning Tuesday's game with a seven-run eighth. Cruz's two-run homer capped the Pirates' scoring in the eighth. Tim Tawa homered in the ninth for the Diamondbacks, who have lost seven of eight. The Pirates, who have won two of their last three series and split the other, are 9-10 under interim manager Don Kelly. The Pirates outscored Arizona 19-1 in the final 13 innings of the series. Kiner-Falefa had a two-run double in the sixth, when Ke'Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds also had RBI hits. Hayes' single drove out Arizona starter Zac Gallen (3-7). Gallen gave up six runs (five earned) and six hits in five-plus innings. He struck out three and walked three. Gallen leads the National League with 32 walks, and his 5.54 ERA is second highest among the 40 NL qualifiers. The D-backs put two runners on base in only the third and sixth innings against Skenes, who threw first-pitch strikes to the 17 of the 26 batters that he faced. Skenes struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. with runners on first and second to end the third, and he got Eugenio Suarez to fly out and Pavin Smith to ground out to end the sixth. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second when Davis singled after Alexander Canario walked and Spencer Horwitz singled. The Pirates made it 3-0 with a two-run fifth that included second baseman Jordan Lawlar's second error. Hayes walked before Kiner-Falefa and Triolo singled to load the bases. Cruz grounded to Lawlar, whose throw to second in an attempt to force Triolo went into left field, enabling two to score. D-backs regular second baseman Ketel Marte missed his second straight game with the flu. --Field Level Media
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- General
- Associated Press
Skenes dominates into 7th inning, Pirates beat Diamondbacks 10-1 for 2nd road series win
PHOENIX (AP) — Paul Skenes dominated in six-plus scoreless innings, O'Neil Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Pittsburgh Pirates rolled over the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-1 on Wednesday. The Pirates rallied from down 6-2 with seven runs in the eighth inning to beat the Diamondbacks 9-6 on Tuesday night. There was no need for a comeback with Skenes (4-5) on the mound. Last year's NL rookie of the year allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked none in 6 2/3 innings. Skenes has not allowed more than six hits in an MLB-record 35 starts to open his career. Pittsburgh took two of three from Arizona for its first road series win and second overall since April 22-24 against the Los Angeles Angels. Arizona's Zac Gallen (3-7) allowed six runs — five earned — on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks in five innings. Gallen walked the leadoff batter three times and all three scored. Arizona has lost seven of eight. Henry Davis hit a run-scoring single in the second inning after a leadoff walk and Pittsburgh scored two runs in the fifth on second baseman Jordan Lawler's throwing error following a leadoff walk. Gallen issued another leadoff walk in the sixth inning and was pulled after Ke'Bryan Hayes' run-scoring single. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a two-run double off Juan Morillo and Bryan Reynolds made it 8-0 with a run-scoring triple. Key moment Kiner-Falefa broke the game open with his double in the sixth. Key stat Pittsburgh scored 19 straight runs against Arizona in two games before pinch hitter Tim Tawa's leadoff homer in the ninth. Next Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (1-6, 3.66 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-games series at San Diego on Friday. The Diamondbacks have not announced a starter for Friday's opener of a three-game home series against Washington. ___ AP MLB:
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Read the shocking full letter a heartless HOA sent family trying to honor fallen Iraq war hero as America takes their side
A homeowner's association that demanded a resident take down her Memorial Day tribute to her late brother, a soldier who died in the Iraq War, has now issued a pathetic defense of its actions. In a letter obtained by the Daily Mail, Arizona-based Trestle Management Group attempted to explain away the heartless order it sent to Kendall Rasmusson on May 7 calling the banner showing Sgt. John Kyle Daggett in full uniform a 'nuisance.' The letter, addressed to all the Phoenix-area residents the Desert Oasis HOA is responsible for, comes after Rasmusson slammed Trestle in an interview with a local news station, opening the company up to a torrent of criticism. Jim Baska, the president of Trestle, told residents he wasn't aware the previous HOA managers had granted Rasmusson 'a conditional letter of approval for the banner' on January 31, 2019. Ever since then, she had been allowed to display it continuously from the day Sgt. Daggett died, May 15, up until July 14. This covered Memorial Day, Flag Day and Independence Day. She was also given permission to keep the banner up three days before and 10 days after Veteran's Day, Daggett's birthday and Patriot's Day. Trestle took over managing homes in Surprise, where Rasmusson lives, in November 2024. Baska said this is the reason they did not know about her prior arrangement. 'We unfortunately were unaware of the previous commitment that granted this homeowner permission to display her memorial during time periods that exceed what is granted in the Association's governing documents,' Baska wrote to residents. Baska said he was made aware of this exception on Tuesday, though he didn't specify who told him. He also explained that company representatives reached out to Rasmusson about this issue on May 23. 'Now that we are aware of the 2019 approval for the memorial, please note it is 100% the intention of Trestle Management Group and the association's current Board of Directors to honor the previous decision. And again, had we known this initially, we would have certainly taken a much different approach to this situation,' he wrote. Daggett joined the army right after graduating high school in the summer of 2005 and was serving his first tour in Iraq at the time of his death. On May 1, he sustained serious injuries from a propelled grenade attack while fighting in Baghdad. He was quickly flown out of the Middle Eastern country to get medical treatment. While en route to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Daggett's condition worsened, forcing the plane transporting him to land in Halifax, Canada. After several days of fighting for his life, Daggett died on May 15, 2008, at just 21 years old. Daggett posthumously received the Bronze Star, a military decoration awarded to soldiers who have committed acts of heroism on the battlefield. He was also bestowed with a Purple Heart, a honor reserved for service members who have been wounded or killed in battle. 'My brother really loved his country, and I'm very proud, and that's really the point,' Rasmusson has said regarding her insistence on keeping the banner up. Pictured: Baska's full letter to the residents living under the Desert Oasis HOA in Surprise, Arizona In his letter to residents, Baska apologized for the May 7 'courtesy notice' sent to Rasmusson that classified the banner of Sgt. Daggett a 'nuisance' under the HOA bylaws. It also compared the banner to dead trees, rubbish, and debris, which Rasmusson previously said was 'offensive.' The notice demanded the banner of him be taken down within 14 days of receipt. It also claimed the banner had been up since December 1, 2024, which violates the HOA's rules. 'After several months of continuous display, on May 7th, 2025, our office did issue a resident a courtesy notice for the banner that was affixed to the garage, and kindly asked that it be removed as it was in violation of the community's governing documents,' Baska explained in the letter. 'We do regret the category for which our software system classified this courtesy notice, as in no way do we feel the gravity of honoring a fallen soldier/family member falls under the same umbrella as other community 'nuisance' issues,' he added. 'We will do a quick review of our software platform to determine how we can word this potential violation in a more sensitive manner, should a similar situation arise in the future. 'Please know that we are deeply sorry for any confusion or frustration caused, in our honest and sincere attempts to engage this homeowner in conversation. It was absolutely not our intent to bring any negativity toward your amazing community,' Baska concluded the letter. Baska's agenda in writing the letter also appears to be inspired by the media coverage about Trestle's initial blunder. Rasmusson is pictured standing in her front lawn with her patriotic decorations behind her as she talks to AZFamily, the local television station that first interviewed her about her conflict with the HOA AZFamily was the first to pick up the story, interviewing Rasmusson outside her home and broadcasting the first images of the banner. In the letter to residents, Baska complained that after AZFamily aired the story, others have come out and distorted the facts. 'Various news outlets and social media forums have picked up parts of the story, and many of these are either not portraying the entire story, or are just flat-out misrepresenting the situation all together,' he wrote. He claimed that this has led to 'a tremendous number of threatening messages to our staff, which we obviously take quite seriously.' The Daily Mail has not verified these threats, but there were many people on social media airing out their fury at the HOA. Tony Cuchiara, who knows the Rasmusson family, posted on Monday that he and his wife, Heather, had recently visited Daggett's grave in Washington, D.C. 'A month ago, Heather and I went on a trip to Washington, D.C. and made it a point to visit our dearly beloved friend Kyle Daggett. He is a hero to us all! I hope this HOA is held responsible for complete and total violation of our rights!!!' he wrote on Facebook. In another post, he called what the HOA did 'absolute horse****' and demanded it be shut down. Some residents who live in Surprise under the the HOA launched harsh criticisms against its leadership following this incident In a post on Facebook, Steven Stein said he lives under this HOA and implied that their showdown with Rasmusson doesn't represent the extent of the problems. 'Trust me when I say I would not have bought here knowing that they'd manage the neighborhood the way that they do,' he wrote. Michael Barndt, who also lives in Surprise, weighed in on the HOA's approach as well. 'This is absurd, something needs to be done. As a veteran, I'm appalled by the actions of the HOA. This hero gave his life for freedom,' Barndt wrote. 'The display of a memorial tribute has ZERO adverse or negative impact in our community. We all need to support this family and remove the governing body of the HOA,' he concluded. The United States as a whole has seen a rise in the prevalence of HOAs, despite the bodies often being controversial. In 1970, just 2.1 million Americans lived in HOA-governed communities, according to the Foundation for Community Research. By 2023, that number had ballooned to 75.5 million, just under a quarter of the entire US population.
