NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Ginkel blew the last of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ three leads in a 6-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday, dropping them into a tie with the Chicago Cubs for the National League’s second wild card spot.
Ginkel (9-1) loaded the bases in the eighth inning by allowing two singles and a walk. He walked in the tying run by issuing a free pass to Oswald Peraza and Gleyber Torres scored on a sacrifice fly to left from Estevan Florial to give the Yankees their first lead.
Everson Pereira added an RBI single for a 6-4 lead.
Ginkel’s rough outing, which followed blown leads by Merrill Kelly in the fourth and Ryan Thompson in the seventh, resulted in Arizona’s second loss in eight games.
The Diamondbacks are seeking to secure one of the NL's three wild card spots to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Rookie Corbin Carroll got two of his three hits in those innings and his bases-loaded single in the eighth off Ian Hamilton put Arizona ahead 4-3. An inning earlier, he stole his 51st base and scored on Gabriel Moreno’s single to snap a 2-2 tie.
Peraza hit a tying homer to open the seventh off Ryan Thompson. Thompson kept the game tied when center fielder Alek Thomas made a leaping catch to rob Aaron Judge of a homer.
Judge lofted a fly ball toward the Yankee bullpen but Thomas charged back and timed his leap, stuck his glove up over the fence and completed the catch near the 385-foot sign.
Hamilton (3-2) got the win and Clay Holmes got his 22nd save as the Yankees moved two games over .500 a day after being eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2016. New York needs three wins in its final six games to avoid its first losing season since 1992.
Thomas hit a two-run single in the first but Austin Wells hit a tying two-run shot in the fourth.
STARTERS
Arizona’s Merrill Kelly pitched five gritty innings, allowing two runs and four hits. He struck out four and walked two and the Yankees constantly fouled off pitches.
New York’s Clarke Schmidt allowed two runs and three hits in four innings. He stayed after Carroll’s single in the second deflected off his left elbow.
HOME FINISH
New York went 42-39, its poorest home record since 2014.
IN THE SEATS
The Yankees drew 3,272,243 for 80 home dates, up from 3,136,207 for 78 home dates last year. They had 15 sellouts, none after Aug. 6 and down from 16 last year.
Diamondbacks: 2B Ketel Marte returned from an illness and walked as a pinch hitter in the eighth. RHP Miguel Castro returned from the paternity list after missing two games. … RHP Slade Cecconi, who allowed Judge’s third homer Friday, was optioned to Triple-A Reno.
Yankees: RHP Tommy Kahnle (right shoulder inflammation) was placed on the injured list. Kahnle missed the first two months because of right biceps tendinitis and was 1-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 42 appearances. … 1B Anthony Rizzo (post-concussion syndrome), who was shut down Sept. 5, said he is feeling normal and will have one more checkup in New York during the early part of the offseason. “I think we just ran out of time but I’m definitely feeling back to myself, feeling a lot clearer and pretty strong,” Rizzo said. … RHP Matt Bowman was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre to replace Kahnle.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Zach Davies (2-5, 6.81 ERA) opposes White Sox RHP Jose Urena (0-6, 7.27) in the opener of a three-game series in Chicago on Tuesday.
Yankees: Michael King (4-7, 2.66) opposes Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-9, 3.29) in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday in Toronto.
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