Youngsters spark comeback win for Yankees over Diamondbacks
New York Yankees' Estevan Florial hits a sacrifice fly to score Austin Wells during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in an MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Yankees spent a soggy Monday trying to inject meaning into a meaningless game — and maybe even succeeded.
Officially eliminated from playoff contention, the Yankees managed to play spoiler against the Diamondbacks while getting contributions from their youngest and newest members — all of them trying to make a good impression for next season.
Oswald Peraza had two key RBIs and Estevan Florial and Everson Pereira had one each to key two late-game comebacks as the Yankees eked out a 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks, who came into the day with a half-game lead in the second wild-card spot. Earlier, Austin Wells hit a two-run homer.
“It was exciting to see our young guys really have an impact,” Aaron Boone said. “I feel like the compete has never gone away. Today is a great example of that. We were eliminated officially yesterday, it’s about as bad a day to play baseball as you can have and they were all ready to go.”
With the Yankees down 3-2 in the seventh, Peraza teed off on Ryan Thompson’s hanging sinker, hitting a 443-foot home run to left-center to draw the Yankees even.
Ian Hamilton loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, hitting Lourdes Gurriel Jr., allowing a double by Emmanuel Rivera and walking pinch hitter Ketel Marte. Hamilton picked up the second out on a strikeout, but likely Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll singled to left to make it 4-3.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with none out against Kevin Ginkel in the bottom of the eighth. One out later, Peraza drew a full-count walk to tie the score and Florial hit a sacrifice fly to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead. Pereira’s two-out single drove in Anthony Volpe.
It was a hard-fought rally on a day when the Yankees played catch-up from the start.
Clarke Schmidt gave up two runs in the first on Alek Thomas’ two-out, two-run double. The Yankees tied it in the fourth on Wells’ 420-foot two-run homer to right-center.
“It’s awesome to see how we responded today,” Wells said. “It’s really cool to see the guys come out here and wanting to still be out there and play. It was really awesome to be a part of that.”
Rizzo ready for ’24
Anthony Rizzo said his post-concussion syndrome has improved and that he won’t face restrictions next season. “I think we just ran out of time to come back, but I’m definitely feeling back to myself — feeling a lot clearer and pretty strong,’’ he said Monday.
Kahnle done
Tommy Kahnle was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation retroactive to Sunday, ending his se
ason.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
