The New York Yankees sit atop the AL East at this very early stage of the season after a series sweep of the Houston Astros and two victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks. This was a matchup between two very good teams who have hopes and expectations of making it to the World Series. 

Game 1 - Diamondbacks 2-5 Yankees

The Yankees’ trip to the West Coast to take on the Diamondbacks began in a 5-2 victory to take their record to 5-0 and extend their winning streak to start the season.

Pitcher Luis Gil had his first outing of the year and first since 2022 as he recently returned from Tommy John Surgery. However, it was Anthony Volpe’s night as he produced the first four-hit game of his career to continue his strong start. A number of defensive errors haunted the Diamondbacks, but the Yankees also took advantage of pitcher Ryne Nelson’s struggles.

Nelson got off to a good start, though, striking out the first hitter he faced in Gleyber Torres. Next up was the superstar Juan Soto, who has enjoyed an excellent season so far. He drew a walk which marked the 38th consecutive game in which he has reached base safely, a statistic that dates back to last season and is the longest active streak in MLB.

Oswaldo Cabrera drove in the first run of the game in the second as his hot streak continued with a single to right after Volpe recorded his first hit of the night. The lead was extended to two when Torres doubled on a line drive to right to score Cabrera. Nelson fell apart at the top of the third, walking two of the first three hitters. Volpe picked up his second hit of the game to record another RBI. Catcher Austin Wells also batted in another run as his sacrifice-fly scored Volpe to make it five.

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With a Ketel Marte sac-fly, the Diamondbacks were finally on the board in the third to make it a 5-1 game at the bottom of the inning. The first two batters had reached safely via a single and a walk. Both were able to advance off a wild pitch.

Gil pitched 4.2 innings, but was pulled just one out away from being eligible for the win. He was on a strict pitch count following his lengthy absence, but he and manager Aaron Boone will be more than pleased with his performance as he allowed just one hit and one earned run with six strikeouts.

That was the end of the scoring until the bottom of the seventh in which another sac-fly scored Gabriel Moreno. The Yankees bullpen allowed just one more hit for the rest of the game as they held on to win 5-2.

Game 2 - Diamondbacks 7-0 Yankees

The undefeated streak was over as Zac Gallen and the Diamondbacks shut out the Yankees in a 7-0 win. The ace pitched six scoreless innings, surrendering just three hits and three walks.  He also struck out six hitters, leaving him with a 0.82 ERA over two games. 

It wasn’t the best start for Gallen, as he walked two in the first inning struggling to throw his fastballs for strikes. But after 17 pitches he ended up getting three outs. It was Nestor Cortes on the mound for the visitors, and just as he did in game one against Houston last week, he had issues early on. Leadoff hitter Marte doubled sharply to left on a four-seam fastball to get the inning going for the D’backs. 

Blaze Alexander then singled on a ground ball to score Marte and give his side the lead. Alexander’s steal of second base was crucial as Eugenio Suarez singled on a line drive to score him. This put the Diamondbacks two up in the first with only one out. They were not done there as Cortes’ struggles continued, with Moreno driving in another run to make it 3-0.

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Volpe continued his hot series as he once again reached safely with another hit to make it 5-5 on the series. He was followed by Cabrera to put two men on base with two outs, but Gallen’s second strikeout of the inning meant a wasted opportunity for the Yankees.

Five scoreless innings for both sides followed, with Cortes settling down and Gallen continuing his dominance against the Yankees line-up. In the sixth, Soto singled to extend his on base streak to 39 games.

Similarly to the Astros series, New York were hoping to secure another comeback win. However, they were unable to do so as it all fell apart at the bottom of the seventh. Left-hander Victor Gonzalez came in as relief for Cortes in the sixth but lasted just two hitters in the next inning as he gave up a single to Marte then walked Alexander. 

This prompted another change the mound, with new acquisition Jake Cousins making his Yankees debut. He got his first out, but then allowed a three-run home run from Christian Walker to blow it wide open and take the game away. The Diamondbacks bullpen pitched very well to retire the next six batters in order. A seventh run was added as Geraldo Perdomo scored after a Cousins wild pitch.

Game 3 - Diamondbacks 5-6 Yankees

The series decider was an afternoon game as the Yankees and Diamondbacks took part in a rubber match. Fans were treated to 11 innings, but it was the away team who came out on top in the end to improve their record to 6-1, with Aaron Judge finally enjoying some success at the plate with his first home run of the season.

Arizona starter Merrill Kelly retired the side in order in the first, bringing up Yankees’ Carlos Rodon for his second start of the season. Marte doubled on the second pitch he saw, a slider which was hit to left to get the first hitter on base.  He then recovered to record three outs. 

In the second inning the game saw the first run, as Alexander continued his good series by hitting a home run to put the Diamondbacks 1-0 up. He worked back from 0-2 to a full 3-2 count and took advantage of a fastball to hit it out to left.

Judge took his second at-bat in the fourth, and after what has been a slow start to the campaign, he blasted a two-run homer to put his side ahead. The D’backs responded at the bottom of the fifth, as Rodon gave up a second home run of the afternoon, this time to Marte, with his first of the year. Corbin Carroll doubled to right before Lourdes Gurriel Jr walked to cause some traffic on the bases. However, the rally was ended as Carroll was caught stealing at third base.

Ian Hamilton came in as relief for Rodon in the sixth, and dominantly pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing no hits or walks and recording four strikeouts with just 27 total pitches. With the game tied at 2-2, it went to extras, and the Yankees instantly regained the lead as Alex Verdugo crushed the first pitch he saw to go up by two. 

Closer Clay Holmes came in for Boone, but fielding errors allowed the hosts to tie the game, with runner Jorge Barrosa scoring before Carroll recorded an RBI on a softly hit groundball. Scott McGough, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning the night before, came in for the 11th but allowed a single to Torres before being called for a balk to drive in an unforced run.  Judge then doubled to tack on another. 

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Holmes lasted two batters before being replaced by left-hander Caleb Ferguson, as he hit Walker with a pitch and struck out Suarez. A Barrosa single then made it a one-run game. With Designated Hitter Marte coming into play at shortstop, Torey Lovullo was forced to send pitcher McGough to the plate after Boone walked Moreno to load the bases with two outs, but he struck out to end the game.

A hitless game for Soto meant his on base streak was over, and the Diamondbacks pitching staff contained him well, restricting him to just one hit across the three games.

In their last 17 extra innings games on the road, the Yankees had only won two, which perhaps shows a change in approach but also highlights the upgrades in the roster. Additionally, they were also unable to score 18 of the 23 runners placed at second. In this game they were able to score both, with four runs.

What’s Next?

The Yankees return to the Bronx in which they will host a three-game series against AL East rivals Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. The Diamondbacks face a tough three-game series in Atlanta as they take on the Braves.