PHOENIX — The Yankees are coming back in style.
Although they had to play overtime before boarding the plane back to New York, the Yankees finished off a strong season-opening road trip with a resilient effort Wednesday afternoon.
After taking a lead in the top of the 10th inning and then losing momentum, the Yankees rallied in the 11th inning, scored two more runs, and held that lead for a 6-5 victory over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
The Yankees scored the go-ahead run on a balk, and Aaron Judge insured the difference with an RBI double in his first multi-hit game of the season.
Caleb Ferguson ended the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning, striking out D-backs relief pitcher Scott McGaugh (who had lost the DH an inning earlier) and leading the Yankees to 6-1, second-best. I got off to a good start. in the history of the franchise.
Alex Verdugo looked like he was going to play the hero in the 10th inning, but he smashed the first pitch of the inning and hit a two-run home run to give the Yankees a 4-2 lead.
With many family and friends in attendance, Verdugo, an Arizona native, had a chance to hit his first home run as a Yankee.
Until he came to bat in the 10th inning against Diamondbacks right-hander Kevin Ginkel, the left-handed Verdugo was just 3-for-24 with no extra base hits in his young season, but he made an impact defensively and hitting. First sacrifice fly on opening day.
But the Diamondbacks quickly got one back in the bottom of the 10th inning, courtesy of an automatic runner, on Clay Holmes’ second grounder, tying the game at 90 feet after Anthony Volpe’s errant throw. The throw first flew out of Anthony Rizzo’s glove) and a wild pitch.
The Yankees used five infielders, and Holmes got two outs with two grounders, but Corbin Carroll, who came out next, hit a chopper over the mound, stretched his legs, and hit an infield hit to end the game. I made it a tie.
Judge hit a two-run hit off right-hander Merrill Kelly in the fourth inning, his first home run of the season, ending the Yankees’ winless streak at 18 innings. At this point, the Yankees were leading with 2 wins and 1 loss.
Carlos Rodon had a solid performance in his second start of the season, allowing two solo home runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Of the 95 pitches he threw, he mixed in 13 cutters and made four of his seven whiffs, helping to keep the Diamondbacks off balance.
