Arizona’s Wild Card chase took another hard turn Friday night, with the Yankees rolling into Chase Field and leaving with a 9-2 win as the Diamondbacks opened their weekend salute to the 2001 World Series club.
Game line
| Club | Score |
|---|---|
| New York Yankees | 9 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 2 |
First inning put Arizona in a hole
Eduardo Rodriguez did not get through the opening frame cleanly, and the Yankees made sure the night got away early. New York sent nine hitters to the plate, scored five times and drew three walks in the inning. Each of those walks eventually came around to score.
Rodriguez needed 45 pitches to finish the first, leaving Arizona to play from a deep deficit before the game had settled in.
Carroll supplies the lone answer
Corbin Carroll provided the Diamondbacks’ only real jolt. Moved down to seventh in the order by manager Torey Lovullo after a difficult stretch, Carroll drove a two-run homer off Gerrit Cole in the second inning.
It cut into the early damage, but it did not change the course of the evening. The Yankees kept control, while Arizona could not produce enough offense to build a counterpunch.
Eight games remain in the chase
The defeat was Arizona’s third straight and its sixth loss in eight games. The Diamondbacks began the night four games behind San Diego for the third National League Wild Card berth, while the Cubs and Phillies were tied for the top two positions, five games ahead of Arizona.
There are eight games left, including three against the Padres. That leaves a path, but it also leaves little room for another quiet night. On a weekend built around memories of Arizona’s 2001 championship season, the current club needs wins quickly to keep October from slipping out of reach.
