Masahiro Tanaka Suffers Yet Another Setback As New York Gets Swept By Arizona

Last time out when Masahiro Tanaka started on the west coast against the Los Angeles Angels the Japanese right -hander suffered a loss and New York was denied the sweep of the Los Angeles Angels. In his most recent start in the finale of a two game set against Arizona not only did Masahiro Tanaka have another setback but New York was swept by Arizona.

, Masahiro Tanaka, pitched only four innings. Their manager stayed in the game for only a few more frames. The result was a 3-2 loss as the D-backs completed the two-game sweep and sent the Yankees back to New York with a 6-3 record on their nine-game, three-city road trip through Anaheim, San Francisco and Phoenix. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

The Yankees have still won nine of their last 12 games, and they return home for a three-game series against the Twins that starts Friday. They will play 13 of their next 16 games at Yankee Stadium, where the Yanks have an 8-7 record and have won their last two series, albeit against teams with losing records. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

Three of their next four opponents during the upcoming stretch -- Twins, Mariners and Rays -- have winning records. The Yankees have struggled against teams with winning records. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

“I’m excited to get back home,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It was obviously a long West Coast trip that overall was very successful. We look forward to having the off-day [Thursday], regroup a little bit and get ready for a really tough stretch, I think 30 [games] in 31 days. That will be a challenge for us, but a challenge we welcome.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

The first challenge Wednesday was Tanaka’s command. Boone said Tanaka’s split fastball wasn’t as sharp as it has been in the past. The pitcher said the movement on his pitches and his overall command wasn’t as bad as it seemed and his splitter felt fine. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

“It’s obviously frustrating, but it just comes down to making adjustments,” Tanaka said. “I think the adjustment I needed to make coming into this game is different from the adjustments I’m going to need to make going into the next game. This game is about making adjustments and that’s basically what I’m doing.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

Tanaka was charged with three runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked one batter in one of his shortest outings of the season. He also pitched only four innings against the White Sox in his fourth start.

There’s no disputing Ketel Marte’s solo home run, his seventh homer of the season, came on a mistake pitch in the fourth inning. It pushed the home team’s advantage to 3-0, a deficit the Yankees were unable to overcome. “according https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

“He battled,” Boone said. “He hasn’t been his best, certainly, but still made enough pitches to allow us to hang around and give us a chance. These two days, we just haven’t been able to get that hit or really mount anything offensively. We have pitched well enough -- three runs in back-to-back days -- we just haven’t been able to mount enough offensively.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

Luke Voit did his part. The first baseman’s solo home run in the top of the sixth cut the D-backs’ lead to 3-1. He later scored the Yankees’ second run of the game on Mike Tauchman's RBI single in the eighth inning to cut Arizona’s lead to 3-2. Voit has reached base in 41 consecutive games dating back to last season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

“[Voit’s] a really good hitter. He understands who he is and understands the strike zone, and he’s in a really good groove right now, obviously,” Boone said. “When he walks up there, pitchers better be at your best or you are going to be in some trouble.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

The biggest challenge of the game for the Yankees was official in nature. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

In the fifth inning, the Yankees lost a replay challenge on a close play when it appeared D-backs shortstop Nick Ahmed took his foot off the second-base bag just before catching a throw from Marte to get a forceout on Tauchman. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

“I went out to ask to make sure it stood. I didn’t argue,” Boone said. “In looking at it, that one was a head-scratcher. We thought it was the right challenge and thought we would have it overturned, but we didn’t get the call.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

Boone was later ejected by home-plate umpire Paul Emmel in the top of the seventh inning after the umpires would not review if Tyler Wade was hit on the foot by a pitch from D-backs reliever Yoan Lopez. The manager, who has been ejected twice this season and six times in his career, did not have a replay challenge remaining after losing one in the fifth.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

After the game, Wade said he felt the ball grazed his foot. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

“I wasn’t really set off other than we couldn’t look at it based on the call earlier where he’s safe at second base,” Boone said. “I wasn’t that riled up even at that point and I thought it was a very quick ejection, and then I got riled up. It’s just a frustrating day to not finish off the trip in a really good way.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-lose-to-d-backs-in-series-finale

After an off day on Thursday New York will return to the Bronx for the opener of a three game series against Minnesota.