Even though the season may only be getting started, I contend that it’s never too early to start comparing your team to others, particularly when those expectations are as high as they are for the D-Backs. Before their first road trip of the season, I was very curious to watch how this D-Backs club handled an early challenge at home after two overwhelming wins in either direction during this series. I’d say with confidence that the 2024 D-Backs were up to the challenge for the first nine innings.

Sadly, the game lasted only 11 innings, giving the Yankees’ bats enough time to secure the victory and leaving the rest of us to see a jumbled game that had literally everything under the sun.
Even though the season may only be getting started, I contend that it’s never too early to start comparing your team to others, particularly when those expectations are as high as they are for the D-Backs. Before their first road trip of the season, I was very curious to watch how this D-Backs club handled an early challenge at home after two overwhelming wins in either direction during this series. I’d say with confidence that the 2024 D-Backs were up to the challenge for the first nine innings. Sadly, the game lasted only 11 innings, giving the Yankees’ bats enough time to secure the victory and leaving the rest of us to see a jumbled game that had literally everything under the sun.

   Blaze Alexander had a breakout game, but couldn’t lift the team to a series win. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

Carlos Rodon didn’t pitch badly, per se, but it’s hard to top a seven-inning performance in which just two runs are allowed. Despite struggling to maintain his mechanics and displaying signs of exhaustion towards the conclusion of his workout, he nevertheless pulled off a workmanlike effort. To my dismay, the D-Backs batters were just as aggressive in their approach, but they were more adept at seizing the few opportunities that they had. And they sure as hell were constrained. With 18 combined strikeouts, 4 walks, and 4 home runs, this game had plenty of “three true outcomes.”

  The first of those final results was brought about by Alexander’s…blazing bat (sorry, it was essential in this instance). It happened after Alexander recovered from the first of the game’s three 0–2 counts. Their 1-0 lead did not last very long, as Aaron Judge’s hanging sinker into the center field bleachers in the visiting half of the fourth inning gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead following a Gleyber Torres single was Kelly’s sole blemish. The Empire’s lead only lasted five batters, fittingly, as Ketel Marte tied the game at 2-2 with a long ball to left center that was his first home run of the year and his 1,000th career hit.To put Rodon and the Yankees on the ropes, Corbin Carroll—who still hasn’t quite found his rhythm—followed with a double down the line before a walk by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Discouragingly, Carroll was easily thrown out at third to end the inning and threat even though Christian Walker had a perfect RBI opportunity standing at the plate.After the first nine innings, both offenses appeared to be in a slight slumber. There was only one threat in the home half of the sixth inning, which was put out by a poorly timed lineout that resulted in a double play. Crucially, though, was Torey Lovullo’s decision to pinch bat Jace Peterson for Blaze Alexander in the bottom of the ninth to capitalize on Peterson’s tiny split edge (.231/.325/.350) against lefties (.210/.283/.271) against righties? In retrospect, I don’t want to second-guess quarterback Torey’s choices, but Alexander posted a slash line of.347/.429/.600 versus lefties in the minors last season.What you will, take that from it. First mistake.With Clay Holmes waiting in the bullpen, things got a little wackier in extra innings when Alex Verdugo jumped Kevin Ginkel’s opening pitch into the right field bleachers, giving the Yankees a 4-2 lead. Next, Geraldo Perdomo grounded to Anthony Volpe, who threw slightly up the line that Rizzo failed to gather, after pinch-hitter Joc Pederson inadvertently grounded out to advance the ghost runner up ninety feet. The mistake gave ghost runner Jorge Barrosa the opportunity to score, but sadly, Perdomo hobbled to the ground and had to be replaced by pinch runner Jake McCarthy.

    McCarthy would advance to third base on a Holmes wild pitch, and Marte would just need a sac fly to tie the game. Aaron Boone was forced to switch to a five-man infield, which I didn’t know was still permitted given the shift rules. It was a smart play because Marte’s ground ball was promptly devoured, putting the D-Backs one game away from elimination in the series. Rather, Carroll did what he does best, which is use his game-changing speed to shift the burden to the defense. It was a masterful move, as McCarthy scored the game-tying run (4–4) after Carroll leaped over Holmes.Gurriel Jr.’s groundout put a stop to the rally, and Torey proceeded to play Marte in lieu of Tucker Barnhart as the DH and substituted Gabriel Moreno for Barnhart.Second mistake. The Yankees led 5–4 when Scott McGough, who had been called upon to give the D-Backs a chance to walk it off, gave up a single to Torres and then balked on the ghost runner. Inducing a Juan Soto lineout allowed him to continue Soto’s ongoing struggles against D-Backs pitching (.199/.326/.327). Unfortunately, Judge’s deep double to drive in the sixth and final run for New York split the score, leaving us ahead 6-4 going into the home half of the 11th.

Walker’s fast plunk to put the tying run on base gave the game an unlucky start, but Eugenio Suarez and Peterson struck out immediately after to put the D-Backs up once more. But before Barrosa could board the aircraft, he blooped a single into left field, scoring ghost runner Gurriel Jr. and bringing the Snakes within one run at 6-5. But once more, Boone made a brilliant tactical move by purposefully walking Moreno and loading the bases after realizing that Lovullo had exhausted his positional bench.With the game on the line, McGough steps up to the plate.As could be expected for a pitcher facing his first major league pitch, McGough was outmatched right away and struck out on a close call, allowing the tying run to be ninety feet away and the series to slip away.