PHOENIX — Arizona turned to Zac Gallen in its bid to take a lead back to Philadelphia in the NL Championship Series.
The Diamondbacks' ace labored against the Phillies for the second time in the series, putting his team on the brink of elimination.
Gallen came up short in a battle of aces with Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler and the Diamondbacks lost 6-1 to the Phillies on Saturday in Game 5 of the NLCS.
Wheeler shut down Arizona for the second game of the series, allowing five hits in six scoreless innings. Gallen was again no match for his fellow ace, giving up a pair of homers and four runs in six innings.
Unable to win with their ace, the Diamondbacks head back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Monday trailing 3-2 in the series.
Gallen put himself in the mix for the NL Cy Young Award with a stellar regular season, finishing 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA while earning the starting nod for the NL in the All-Star Game.
The right-hander was sharp in starts against Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the playoffs, allowing four combined runs in 11 1/3 innings.
The Phillies had Gallen's number in the series starting with his first pitch, hit 420 feet by Kyle Schwarber for a homer. Gallen allowed five runs on eight hits in five innings in that 5-3 loss.
The Phillies jumped on Arizona's ace again in Game 5.
Gallen gave up two runs and three hits in the first inning, putting the Diamondbacks in an immediate hole. He seemed to settle into a rhythm, retiring 12 straight, but gave up consecutive long solo homers to Schwarber and Bryce Harper that put the Phillies up 4-0.
Gallen allowed six hits, walked two and struck out one, putting the Diamondbacks in a deep hole as the series shifts back to Philadelphia.
