Mark Leiter Jr. was 1 pitch away from getting out of a bases-loaded, 2 outs jam in the 8th inning — NY up 4-3 — but threw a 2-2 splitter to Eugenio Suarez and he put it just over the left field wall at Yankee Stadium for a 7-4 Arizona lead and ballgame.
Suarez had just won American League Player of the Week coming into the game; he says he has not yet tried a Torpedo bat but wants to.
The Yanks got a run with with 2 outs in the 9th when Ben Rice parked one — but never brought the tying run to the plate as A.J. Puk got the final out.
The blown save ruined a terrific starting performance by Will Warren — who pitched 5 innings of 1-hit, 2-run ball — and a spectacular 2 innings of no-hit, shutout ball by new Yankee reliever Fernando Cruz.
But Tim Hill started the 8th by allowing a double and an RBI single before getting an out, and then Mark Leiter Jr. came in and walked the first 2 batters he faced before getting a strikeout. With new Yankee Adam Ottavino warming in the pen, Leiter was ‘this close’ to getting out of it — but didn’t.
The Yanks had gotten their lead on solo HR’s by Jasson Dominguez in the 3rd and Anthony Volpe in the 4th, and an error at 1st base by Josh Naylor later in the 4th that allowed 2 Yankee runs to score.
“It was a good swing; that’s my split and that’s what I’m going to go to,” said Leiter afterwards about the HR by Suarez. “He put a real good swing on it; unfortunately it got out.”
NY drops to 3-1; Arizona improves to 3-2.
1. Warren Pitched Great
Good news for the Yanks — Will Warren looked just as good in this his first start of the season as he did in Spring Training. He retired the first 8 Arizona batters — including 3 strikeouts — until yielding a walk and a 2-run homer to Corbin Carroll in the 3rd, giving Arizona a 2-0 lead.
Warren got the last out of the 3rd but then walked the first 2 batters of the 4th and on the broadcast they said it looked like he was being pulled as Aaron Boone went to the mound. But Warren stayed in and got a double play and ground out to end the inning.
The Yanks gave Warren a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the 4th, and he made it stick with a shutout 5th — getting 3 straight outs after walking the leadoff batter.
In all — 5 innings, 1 hit, 4 Ks, 4 walks.
Will on the Hill ? pic.twitter.com/koluFPnUx1
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 2, 2025
2. The Martian HR
Jasson Dominguez got the Yanks on the board with a 377-foot homer to right center off Arizona starter Corbin Burns to lead off the 3rd.
Martian Mash ? pic.twitter.com/i6VS6rBDDW
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 1, 2025
3. Volpe HR
Anthony Volpe hit a 418-foot bomb to left center off Burns with 1 out in the 4th, tying the game 2-2.
AV ties it up ? pic.twitter.com/8XoxUTGCuC
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 2, 2025
4. Naylor Gifts Yanks’ 2 Run in 4th
Austin Wells followed Volpe’s homer with a walk off Burns, and Jasson Dominguez singled him to 2nd. With 1 out, Burns threw a wild pitch putting the runners on 2nd and 3rd.
Burns struck out Ben Rice for the 2nd out, then got Oswaldo Cabrera to hit a grounder to 1st — but Josh Naylor threw the ball away and 2 runs scored. NY 4 Arizona 2.
5. New Yank Cruz Fantastic
New Yankee Fernando Cruz then pitched a shutout 6th and 7th, striking out 4 with his Filthy splitter.
Fernando Cruz, Unhittable Splitters. ? pic.twitter.com/IAixpmemPl
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 2, 2025
6. Leiter Blows the Hold
All was looking good until the top of the 8th, when Tim Hill uncharacteristically allowed a leadoff double then an RBI single to Palermo. Hill got a groundout and yielded to Mark Leiter Jr.
Leiter uncharacteristically walked the first 2 batters he faced — before striking out Josh Naylor for the 2nd out. Leiter went 2-2 on Suarez and was 1 pitch away — when Suarez put one just over the left-field wall for a Grand Slam.
Is it too early to name Geno Player of the Week again? pic.twitter.com/agQqTYhT4N
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 2, 2025
7. Rice HR in 9th Not Enough
Ben Rice hit a 403-foot HR to right off A.J. Puk with 2 outs in the 9th to make it a 7-5 game, but Puk got Pablo Reyes — pinch hitting for Cabrera — to line out to right for the old ballgame.
8. That’s Life
As the game ended, Yankee Stadium for the first time played Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” after a loss.
Yankees play Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” for their first loss at home this season. pic.twitter.com/PxlmnF6fGY
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) April 2, 2025
Be the first to comment