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Yankees Led By Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner To Beat Diamondbacks

By Kenneth Teape

May 18, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (right) congratulates teammate Brett Gardner after a two run home run in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (right) congratulates teammate Brett Gardner after a two run home run in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Yankees avoided the sweep Wednesday night behind the bats of Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner.

The New York Yankees came into their series with the Arizona Diamondbacks with a lot of momentum courtesy of a strong homestand. The Yankees were riding a four-series winning streak, but that was quickly halted by the Diamondbacks, who took the first two games of this series.

But, the Yankees were able to salvage the final game of the series behind the work of Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner at the plate. The Yankees had 11 hits in the game, three for extra bases, and Ellsbury and Gardner combined for five and two of them. The duo also had a hand in all of the runs scored by the Yankees, as they put the offense on their backs and carried them to a win.

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Ellsbury got on base all five times he stepped to the plate tonight, going 3-for-3 with two walks. He also scored twice with one RBI, as he knocked in Chase Headley in the sixth inning with an RBI single to left field.

The first run that Ellsbury scored came courtesy of Gardner, who launched his fifth home run of the season in his first at-bat, planting the ball 416 feet into right field. Gardner finished the game 2-for-5 with one run and two RBI.

The last run of the game for the Yankees was scored by Ellsbury. He would score on a wild pitch from Evan Marshall in the ninth inning to give the Yankees some insurance after Chris Owings pulled the Diamondbacks within one run with a solo homer in the eighth inning.

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The game was closed out by Aroldis Chapman, who has been lights out since giving up a run in his first appearance of the season. Tonight was his fourth consecutive outing without a run allowed, and his fourth save.

That ended what was a strong pitching night for the Yankees, as Nathan Eovaldi was on top of his game tonight. After a weird base hit by Jean Segura to start the game, as his groundball hit second base and went into the outfield for a double, Eovaldi locked in. He would retire the next 18 batters consecutively, as only two balls even reached the outfield.

Eovaldi had his sinker working tonight, and even hit 100 miles per hour on the radar gun. With the victory, Eovaldi improved to 4-0 in his last five starts. The only run that he gave up came in the first inning off a Paul Goldschmidt ground out that scored Segura.

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The Yankees will now be heading to Oakland to take on the Athletics in a four-game series. Ivan Nova will take the mound for the Yankees and be opposed by Kendall Graveman for the Athletics.

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