Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” sang out over the loudspeakers as the Yanks lost their 2nd game of the year and 2nd in a row at Yankee Stadium — 4-3 to Arizona on a cold Tuesday night — as Anthony Volpe’s 3-run HR into the short porch in the 9th were the only NY runs of the game and not enough.
Arizona’s Zac Gallen pitched a 3-hit shutout into the 7th inning, with 13 strikeouts and no walks — to stifle the Yanks. Meanwhile Carlos Rodon allowed 4 runs in the first 2 innings — a 2-run HR and some small ball — before settling down and retiring the last 11 batters he faced.
Some good news for the Yanks along with Volpe’s HR — Yankee 25-year-old rookie Yoendrys Gomez pitched 3 shutout, no-hit innings of relief.
“He was executing,” said Anthony Volpe afterwards about Gallen. “He was giving everyone different looks. We were communicating, telling everyone what we saw — but he was attacking, and mixing his pitches really well.”
The Yanks were “riding high” in March — 3-0 to start the year — but have been “shot down” in April — now dropping to 3-2. Arizona improves to 4-2.
1. Rodon Coughs Up 4 Runs Early, then Settles Down
Carlos Rodon had pitched well for a win in his first start of the year, but this time walked the game’s leadoff batter Ketel Marte, and had his 94-MPH 4-seam fastball clipped for a 399-ft, 2-run homer to left by Lourdes Gurriel Jr, the 3rd hitter of the game.
Rodon immediately got in trouble in the 2nd — allowing a leadoff walk to Eugenio Suarez, a single by Gabriel Moreno, a groundout moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd, and a sac fly by Geraldo Perdomo for a 3-0 Arizona lead.
A 2-out single by Ketel Marte made it 4-0 and it wasn’t looking good for Rodon.
But Austin Wells bailed him out of the inning, throwing out Marte trying to steal to end the inning.
Rodon was on the rocks in the top of the 3rd as well — walking consecutive batters after getting the first out and here we go again. But again he was bailed out — Josh Naylor hitting into an inning-ending double play — Chisholm to Volpe to Rice at 1st.
Finally Rodon settled down — retiring the next 9 batters in a row, for 11 straight overall — pitching a shutout 4th, 5th, and 6th.
2. Gallen Lights-Out Into the 7th
Meanwhile Zac Gallen was lights out — using his 82-MPH knuckle curve to baffle the Yanks, along with a 91-93 MPH 4-seam fastball, 93-MPH cutter, 87-MPH slider, and 89-MPH changeup.
Zac Gallen is putting on a Knuckle Curve Show tonight. pic.twitter.com/vQbdJ1AgGe
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 3, 2025
The only Yankee rally was in the bottom of the 2nd, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off with a single, and Austin Well clubbed a 1-out double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. But Gallen struck out Jasson Dominguez and Ben Rice to end the inning.
His final line: 6.2 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 13 K’s, 0 walks.
Zac Gallen’s 13 Strikeouts. #torpedoed pic.twitter.com/3ZoDA0p4Xc
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 3, 2025
He was relieved in the 7th by Joe Mantiply after Austin Well had singled with 2 outs. Mantiply got the final out of the inning and was himself relieved after getting the first 2 outs of the 8th. Ryan Thompson came in to strike out Paul Goldschmidt for the final out. NY was down 4-0.
3. Yoendrys Great
Meanwhile Yoendrys Gomez came in and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th with a strikeout, pitched a shutout 8th working around 2 walks, and threw down a groundout, walk, groundout, groundout 9th.
In all 3 shutout, no-hit innings with 1 strikeout, 3 walks.
4. Volpe Short-Porch, 3-Run HR in 9th Gets NY “That Close”
And then to the bottom of the 9th, with Ryan Thompson still pitching.
Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge greeted him with singles, so Arizona had to reach for their ace reliever A.J. Puk. Puk got Jazz Chisholm to fly out, but Anthony Volpe launched a fly to opposite field right that just made it over the wall into the short porch for a 3-run homer. Arizona 4 NY 3.
AV for three 💪 pic.twitter.com/NnpZqeccyy
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 3, 2025
But Puk got Austin Wells to foul out to the catcher, and struck out Jasson Dominguez for the old ballgame.
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