Diamondbacks at Yankees
The New York Yankees turn the page on what was a historically bad week and take a break from playing their archrivals as they host the Arizona Diamondbacks for a two-game series beginning Tuesday. New York became the first team in American League history to allow 70-plus runs (73) and 20 or more home runs (23) in a seven-game span before salvaging the finale of its four-game series in Boston with a 9-6 victory Sunday.
“That is a happy room to finish off what was a difficult week for us,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters after Sunday's win. "Obviously, we have to keep grinding, keep getting better, but this one was a good one.’’ Despite its pitching issues - especially a starting rotation which was 1-5 with a 13.78 ERA in its previous eight outings, first-place New York still owns an 8 1/2-game lead on Tampa Bay in the American League East and nine over the Red Sox, who it hosts for four games beginning Friday. Arizona continues to fall out of wild-card contention after Monday's 11-6 loss at Miami dropped it to 7-9 since the All-Star break. New York's J.A. Happ pitches Tuesday after a rough outing restored his ERA to where it was four starts ago and opposes rookie Taylor Clarke, who comes off the paternity list to make his scheduled start.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taylor Clarke (3-3, 6.10 ERA) vs. Yankees LH J.A. Happ (8-5, 5.23)
Clarke yielded two runs (two solo homers) and four hits while striking out seven in six innings of Arizona's 5-2 victory over Baltimore on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Virginia native is 2-0 over his last four starts but has allowed 11 home runs over his last seven outings. Clarke, whose wife gave birth to a girl Thursday, has never faced New York or any of its players.
Happ received a no-decision after allowing six runs and six hits (two home runs) in 3 1/3 innings of the Yankees' 10-7 victory at Minnesota on Wednesday. The 36-year-old Illinois native, who was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in his previous three starts, hasn't gotten out of the sixth inning in seven straight outings. Arizona's Adam Jones is 11-for-49 with two home runs and 11 strikeouts from his days with Baltimore versus Happ, who is 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA in six games (five starts) against the Diamondbacks but hasn't faced them since 2016.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees 3B Gio Urshela went 6-for-8 with a home run, three RBIs and three doubles in the last two games after going 4-for-24 in his previous seven contests.
2. Arizona CF Ketel Marte (.320) belted his 23rd home run of the season Monday after hitting 22 over his first four years and is batting .382 with 10 RBIs over his last 15 games.
3. New York SS Didi Gregorius went 3-for-16 with three RBIs in the Boston series after going 8-for-10 with 10 RBIs in his previous two games.