Walker hits 3-run homer, Diamondbacks stop Yankees' win streak at 5 games with 7-0 victory

PHOENIX (AP) — Christian Walker hit a three-run homer, Zac Gallen pitched six sharp innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees 7-0 on Tuesday night to end the Yankees' season-opening win streak at five games.

Defending NL champion Arizona is off to a 4-2 start. The D-backs took a 3-0 lead in the first after five of their first six batters reached base against Nestor Cortes. Blaze Alexander, Eugenio Suárez and Gabriel Moreno all had RBI singles.

“You put up three quick points and start playing downhill baseball," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “Zac on the mound, it puts a lot of pressure on the opposition.”

Three runs turned out to be plenty of support for Gallen (2-0), who gave up three hits and three walks while striking out six. The right-hander finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting last season after going 17-9 with a 3.47 ERA.

He's off to another good start, giving up just one run over 11 innings.

“It was a clean game,” Lovullo said. “Those are the types of game I expect us to play, but it was all set up by Zac. He was just pounding the zone, in command of more than one pitch and could get to anything at any time.”

Walker made it 6-0 in the seventh with a majestic blast off Jake Cousins, bringing home Ketel Marte and Alexander on a ball that traveled 424 feet, landing far beyond the wall in left.

“That was a good swing, for sure,” Walker said. “He's got really good stuff. I had to just stay on fastball and luckily I got to one.”

It was only the fourth time in franchise history that New York started the year with five wins in five games. The Yankees' streak masked an uneven offense but they couldn't hide it on Tuesday. Aaron Judge was 0 for 3 with a walk, and his average fell to .125. Anthony Rizzo is hitting just .182, Giancarlo Stanton is at .150 and Alex Verdugo has a .143 average.

“Credit to them,” Rizzo said. “That's a good team, a good pitcher. He just shut us down.”

Cortes (0-1) gave up three runs, eight hits and two walks over five innings.

For the D-backs, Walker, Alexander, Marte, Jake McCarthy and Geraldo Perdomo all had two hits.

Arizona held the Yankees scoreless for just the second time in franchise history. The other was in Game 2 of the 2001 World Series.

WORTH NOTING

The Yankees traded left-hander Nick Ramirez to the Dodgers for cash. Ramirez was designated for assignment Saturday. New York also agreed to a minor league contract with RHP Phil Bickford. ... The D-backs traded infielder Emmanuel Rivera to the Marlins. He was designated for assignment on opening day.

UP NEXT

The Yankees and D-backs finish the three-game series on Wednesday. Arizona sends RHP Merrill Kelly (1-0, 1.35 ERA) to the mound while New York counters with LHP Carlos Rodón (0-0, 2.08 ERA).

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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone speaks to reporters in the dugout prior to the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte (4) celebrates his run scored against the New York Yankees with Diamondbacks' Christian Walker (53) during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen throws against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone talks with a player in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New York Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera, right, reaches out to catch a ball before tagging out Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suarez (28) in a rundown as New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino, left, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, right, grimaces after a called third strike as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, left, heads to the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker connects for a three-run home run against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — New York Yankees star right fielder Juan Soto was scratched from the lineup a day after hurting his left leg sliding into a wall to make a catch.

Soto was originally in the lineup for Friday night's game against the Oakland Athletics but was pulled out after reporting soreness and swelling in his left leg. Manager Aaron Boone said X-rays were negative and Soto will not need additional testing.

Soto hurt his leg on Thursday in Seattle when he slid into the short wall in foul territory down the right-field line while making a highlight reel catch. He remained in the game but had swelling on Friday.

Boone said Soto is day to day and he wasn't “overly concerned” the injury will linger into the postseason. The Yankees clinched a playoff berth on Wednesday night and went into day with a four-game lead in the AL East over Baltimore with nine games to play.

“Guys do a good job of knowing how to protect themselves and playing smart in certain situations,” Boone said. “I think him getting down the way he did protected him a little bit. Obviously he bruised it and he's out today. But I think the way he did it avoided something serious.”

Soto is batting .286 with 40 homers and 103 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees. Soto entered the day second in the majors with 125 walks, 284 times on base and a .418 on-base percentage, trailing only teammate Aaron Judge in all three categories. Soto is third in the majors with 120 runs scored.

Soto missed three games in June with left forearm inflammation.

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New York Yankees' Juan Soto walks back to the dugout after striking out against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto makes a diving catch on a foul ball by Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco but collides with the wall during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto, center, is checked on by center fielder Aaron Judge (99) and second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) after colliding with the wall after making a catch on a foul ball from Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)