NEW YORK (AP) - This momentous month just keeps getting better for Taylor Clarke.
Five days after the birth of his daughter, the rookie pitcher was an impressive winner in his Yankee Stadium debut and the Arizona Diamondbacks got home runs from Christian Walker and Carson Kelly to beat New York 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Nick Ahmed hit an RBI single and Adam Jones had an early sacrifice fly for the Diamondbacks (54-54), who have won all three meetings with the Yankees this year. Arizona, now 14-5 in interleague games after taking nine of its past 10, will go for a season sweep of the AL East leaders Wednesday afternoon in another rematch of the thrilling 2001 World Series won by the Diamondbacks in seven games.
“You don’t see a lot of 4-2 games in this stadium. At least I don’t remember them that way,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We did a lot of things right.”
Edwin Encarnación had an RBI double and Tyler Wade hit his second major league homer for New York after replacing injured first baseman Luke Voit.
J.A. Happ (8-6) allowed three runs in six innings for a struggling New York staff that gave up 79 runs over the previous eight games. General manager Brian Cashman is shopping for pitching help ahead of Wednesday’s trade deadline - but time is running out.
“You can’t help but think about it,” said slugger Aaron Judge, in a 1-for-23 rut. “I think we’re all going to be happy once this trade deadline’s passed.”
Back from a rugged 3-4 trip against fellow American League contenders, the Yankees dropped consecutive home games for the first time since losing three straight from April 2-12. They’ve lost six of nine overall following a five-game winning streak.
They did, at least, prevent their opponent from scoring six runs for the first time in nine games. But this time, it was the injury-depleted lineup that scuffled in front of a season-high sellout crowd of 47,281 at Yankee Stadium.
“We know we’re capable of something really special with all the guys we have in that room right now,” manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “Whatever happens or does or doesn’t happen over the next 24 hours, I don’t expect our room to change from a confidence standpoint.”
Clarke (4-3) did not permit an earned run over 5 1/3 innings of three-hit ball in his 12th big league start. The 26-year-old righty, who made his major league debut in April, struck out six and walked two to win his third decision in a row.
Clarke’s wife, also named Taylor, gave birth last week to their third child, Bayley Marie.
“Pitching in Yankee Stadium is pretty special,” Clarke said. “That was a lot of fun.”
Yoshihisa Hirano retired Mike Tauchman with the bases loaded to end the sixth.
With his parents in the stands from Oklahoma, reliever Archie Bradley also excelled in his initial appearance at Yankee Stadium. He got four straight outs for his fifth career save and first since June 18 last year.
“Sometimes I get more excited for my parents than I do myself. I imagine my mom and dad sitting out there watching their son pitch in Yankee Stadium and I had chills out there. It was a cool moment,” Bradley said. “It’s definitely a baseball memory that I’ll hold onto forever.”
COMING UP EMPTY
Diamondbacks DH Yasmany Tomás went 0 for 3 and grounded into a double play in his first big league start since June 2, 2017.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: OF-C Blake Swihart (strained right oblique) was set to play the outfield in his latest rehab game with Triple-A Reno. … RHP Matt Andriese (bruised left foot) felt good after a second bullpen, Lovullo said. Andriese has been on the 10-day injured list since July 20. … RHP Luke Weaver (forearm tightness) and RHP Taijuan Walker (Tommy John surgery) are throwing as part of their rehab programs. Weaver will have an MRI before getting back on a mound, Lovullo said.
Yankees: Voit exited in the fifth with a core muscle injury and was scheduled for an MRI. He was replaced in the cleanup spot by the light-hitting Wade, who entered at third base as Gio Urshela shifted to first. … All-Star INF DJ LeMahieu, who began the day leading the AL in batting, ran well in the afternoon but was held out for a third straight game as he nurses a sore groin. “Just trying to be smart with it,” Boone said. … OF Brett Gardner (left knee) is on track to return from the injured list this weekend against Boston. … CC Sabathia was scheduled to see a doctor and receive an injection for inflammation in his right knee. … RHP Luis Severino (rotator cuff inflammation) is getting close to throwing off a mound. … OF-DH Giancarlo Stanton is making slow progress trying to building up strength in his quadriceps as he recovers from a sprained right knee. … All-Star C Gary Sánchez (left groin strain) ran and hit indoors. Sánchez is eligible to come off the injured list Saturday but that’s not likely. … RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (strained right shoulder) struck out three in two innings of one-hit ball for Double-A Trenton.
UP NEXT
RHP Zack Greinke (10-4, 2.87 ERA) pitches for the Diamondbacks against RHP Masahiro Tanaka (7-6, 4.79) in a matchup of 2019 All-Stars. Greinke went 7 2/3 innings to beat the Yankees 3-1 on April 30 in Arizona. Tanaka lasted only four innings the following day and lost 3-2. Tanaka was tagged for 12 runs on 12 hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings of a 19-3 loss at Boston last Thursday. The only Yankees pitcher to give up more earned runs was Carl Mays, who allowed 13 in a 1923 complete game against Cleveland.
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