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BASEBALL

New York Drops The Opener To Arizona

After salvaging a game out of their four game series at Fenway Park against their American League East rival Boston on Sunday and off day on Monday New York opened a two game series on Tuesday against Arizona in the Bronx where they ended up on the short end while losing yet another player to injury.

The Yankees have been subject to a well-documented array of injuries this season, and yet, they entered Tuesday with a sizable lead in the American League East through contributions from players who have transformed from Opening Day reserves into household names in the Bronx. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

But that wasn't the case in the Yanks' 4-2 loss to the D-backs on Tuesday. Luke Voit left the game in the fifth inning with a core muscle injury, and in came Tyler Wade, who was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre two days ago when left-hander CC Sabathia went on the injured list with right knee inflammation. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

n the sixth inning, Wade stepped to the plate in a critical moment. Down 3-0, the Yankees had received a gift courtesy of Adam Jones, who misplayed a routine fly ball in right field, allowing Aaron Judge to reach second base to lead off the frame. Edwin Encarnacion then hit a slicing double to the gap in right-center, and a rally looked to be on for the Yanks. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

The next batter would have been Voit, who is hitting .278/.392/.493 with 19 homers and 54 RBIs in 94 games. Instead, there was Wade, who hadn't suited up for New York since May 3. He could do no better than a foul popup, and the Yanks' rally stalled there. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

Though Wade hit a solo homer in the eighth -- his first of the year and second of his career -- only he and Encarnacion could produce runs on the night. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

"When Edwin drove me in, I'm like, 'Here we go, let's start something now,'" Judge said. "We weren't able to get it done. We've just got to come out strong tomorrow. It felt a little flat today." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

The Yankees' offense usually churns like a well-oiled machine, but up and down the lineup Tuesday, New York's batters looked to be running on fumes. They could only manage three hits against rookie starter Taylor Clarke, who came in with an unintimidating 6.10 ERA. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

It wasted a quality start from J.A. Happ, who went six innings and allowed three earned runs in a second consecutive encouraging performance for the Yankees' staff, which was hammered hard during New York's 3-4 road trip to Minnesota and Boston. “according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

"We don't like that week obviously, but we don't think it's indicative of who we are as a staff, as a group," Happ said. "I think we win that game tonight more often than not. I just think it wasn't our night." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

During that disappointing trip, the Yankees' offense put up 49 runs in an attempt to keep up with the 71 runs the pitching staff allowed. It wouldn't be far off to suggest that workload caught up with them against the D-backs.

"That's why I was pretty upset about this loss," Judge said. "[Happ] went out there against a good offense in Arizona and held them to three runs. We weren't able to get anything going. That's one that eats at me at night, when a pitcher does his job and the team and I didn't step up." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

That's a potential side effect of whatever decision the Yankees' front office makes ahead of Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. Whether general manager Brian Cashman is able to make a move to bolster the pitching staff, the unpredictability of the group trickles down to the rest of the team. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

"I don't think there's any question that sometimes a move can galvanize you ... [but] I don't so much worry about our guys, because I think when they look around at each other in that room, they know what they're capable of with the people in there now," manager Aaron Boone said. "I'm sure to varying degrees they all follow what's going on the best they can, or keep up and hear the rumors and whispers and whatnot, but whatever happens or doesn't happen in the next 24 hours, I don't expect to change our room and what we're truly capable of doing. And I don't think it will." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-fall-to-d-backs-after-luke-voit-injury

Meanwhile Arizona who is a member of the National League West bounced back from their previous game where they were routed by Miami.

The D-backs got off to a fast start on Tuesday night in the Bronx, scoring in the first inning for the first time since July 22. After they tacked on that first run, Taylor Clarke went to work, leading the team to a 4-2 victory with a strong undercurrent of pitching -- and changes, too. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Clarke, in his first start back from paternity leave and 12th of his career, allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings. In the eighth and ninth, Archie Bradley recorded the final four outs to get his first save of the season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Bradley's appearance in a save situation came two days after manager Torey Lovullo said Greg Holland would be getting a breather from the closer's role after back-to-back shaky outings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

That isn't the only air of change surrounding the D-backs, who have been rumored to be having discussions about trading at least one of their starters. Heading into Wednesday's Trade Deadline (1 p.m. MST), Clarke's presence and success Tuesday could prove even more important. If the D-backs were to move a pitcher, they'd need to have others to rely on, and Clarke showed that he can help fill that void. It was his fourth outing of more than five innings and second straight such start. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

The run he allowed in the sixth inning was unearned -- Aaron Judge came around to score after reaching on an Adam Jones fielding error to start the inning. Aside from that, Clarke was mostly untouchable, allowing three hits and walking two over a 95-pitch outing. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

"He did a great job," Lovullo said. "Really did a good job of making pitches, duplicating pitches, finishing off hitters. ... This team, after a tough night of baseball [in Miami on Monday] and a tough travel night, showed its resiliency and its toughness. This is what we're all about. A game like tonight where the guys really dug in and reached back as far as they possibly could to beat a really, really good baseball team." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Clarke's start followed an outing of six innings and two runs against the Orioles last Wednesday. It's the first time he's gone five-plus innings in back-to-back starts since May 7 and May 25, when he did so with a trip to the Minors sandwiched in between. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

"[I] kind of just took the momentum from last time and tried to repeat the same thing mechanically, stick with that game plan, getting ahead," said Clarke, who was supported by home runs from Christian Walker and Carson Kelly. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Fastball location was huge for Clarke, and he noted that "[in] my good games, I'm locating my fastball well and everything kind of plays off of that. So to be able to get that going was huge from the start." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Judge, who also struck out and walked against Clarke, corroborated that. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

"He made pitches when he had to," Judge said. "I know he missed quite a few pitches in the zone that I think we could've done some damage on, but he was able to put it where he wanted to the majority of the night, and he did his job. We were able to capitalize on a couple of pitches, and you've just got to tip your cap sometimes." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

After Clarke's night was complete, Lovullo lined up the bullpen to get to Bradley for the save. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

"I just felt like I was matching up the best way that I could," Lovullo said. "I drilled down to Archie as closing it out, at that point in the game against that part of the order, and I wanted to match up the best I could prior to that. Those types of things work themselves out. The players and pitchers did their job. They threw the baseball where they wanted to and did what they had to do, the way they needed to do it." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Does this mean Bradley is now the D-backs' closer? Not so simple. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

"I don't know," Lovullo said. "I don't know right now what I'm thinking. I spent a lot of time digesting the numbers and the matchups and I love what I've seen from Archie so far in that situation. It was a four-out save, it was a pretty special time for him. If I have to say, would I go to Archie again? Absolutely. But I want to make sure that it's a good matchup for him. We've got some very capable left-handed guys down in the bullpen, and if it's a better matchup for a lefty, I might do what we did toward the end of last year and get some outs with a left-hander as well." “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

Holding the Yankees to just two runs is no small feat. It's just the 15th time a team has held them to two or fewer runs this season, the fewest for any offense in baseball. “according to https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/taylor-clarke-leads-d-backs-over-yankees

New York and Arizona are supposed to play the finale of their two game series Wednesday afternoon but mother nature might be the deciding factor as to if they get the game in or not.