Diamondbacks rookie Taylor Clarke was an impressive winner in his Yankee Stadium debut, five days after the birth of his daughter, and Arizona got home runs from Christian Walker and Carson Kelly in a 4-2 victory Tuesday night.
Nick Ahmed hit an R.B.I. single, and Adam Jones had an early sacrifice fly for the Diamondbacks, who have won all three meetings with the Yankees this year. Arizona, 14-5 in interleague games after winning nine of its past 10, will go for a season sweep Wednesday afternoon.
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.
“We know we’re capable of something really special with all the guys we have in that room right now,” Manager Aaron Boone said. “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.”
Back from a rugged 3-4 road trip against fellow American League contenders, the Yankees have dropped six of nine following a five-game winning streak. They lost consecutive home games for the first time since dropping three straight in April.
They did, at least, prevent their opponent from scoring at least six runs for the first time in nine games. But this time, it was the lineup that struggled in front of a season-high sellout crowd of 47,281 at Yankee Stadium.
Edwin Encarnación had an R.B.I. double and Tyler Wade hit his second major league homer for the Yankees after replacing injured first baseman Luke Voit.
Clarke (4-3) did not permit an earned run over five and one-third innings of three-hit ball in his 12th big-league start. The 26-year-old right-hander, 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, a baby girl named Bayley Marie.
Archie Bradley got four straight outs for his fifth career save and first since June 18 last year.
INSIDE PITCH
Luke Voit exited with a core muscle injury and was scheduled for an M.R.I. … D.J. LeMahieu (sore groin), who began the day leading the league in batting, was held out for a third straight game. “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. … C. C. 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 Class AA Trenton.