PHOENIX _ The Yankees arrived in the desert Monday with a chance to turn an already good trip west into a great one.
But facing far better starting pitching than they had in Anaheim and San Francisco, Yankees bats went missing over two days at Chase Field, leading to a sweep at the hands of the Diamondbacks, the final game of the nine-game trip a 3-2 loss Wednesday afternoon.
Big picture?
The Yankees (17-13) still went 6-3 on the trip, and any West Coast excursion that results in a winning record is a successful one. And, after an off day Thursday, the Yankees start a home series Friday against the Twins with the possibility of some of their injured _ Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier are leading candidates _ rejoining them at some point this weekend.
The Yankees, who saw the final 18 hitters they sent to the plate retired in Tuesday's 3-1 loss, gave themselves a few more chances Wednesday but went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.
Aaron Boone wasn't around to see the end of it, ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire Paul Emmel after Tyler Wade claimed he was hit by a pitch attempting to pull back on a bunt attempt. Boone, who was ejected for the second time this season, had been displeased with Emmel's strike zone much of the afternoon and was still steaming over a replay challenge instigated by the Yankees that went against them in the fifth inning.
Masahiro Tanaka was not sharp in a second straight game, allowing three runs and five hits over four innings. Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly (3-2, 3.60 ERA) allowed one run and five hits over 5 1/3 innings.
The Yankees inched within 3-2 in the eighth on Mike Tauchman's two-out RBI single off Archie Bradley, but that was it for the inning. Greg Holland walked Cameron Maybin with one out in the ninth but retired two straight for his seventh save in seven tries.
Luke Voit's homer to lead off the sixth _ his team-high ninth _ gave the Yankees their first run and extended the first baseman's MLB-high on-base streak to 41 games.
The Diamondbacks (18-13) struck in the second. Christian Walker led off with a single and switch hitter Ketel Marte, batting from the left side, sliced a double down the left-field line. Nick Ahmed then dumped an RBI single to center to bring in Walker to make it 1-0. Ahmed took second on the throw home. Tanaka struck out Caleb Joseph swinging at a slider but, with Kelly, the pitcher, at the plate, a wild pitch brought in Marte for a 2-0 lead.
Arizona added on in the fourth. Marte led off and slammed a 1-and-1 fastball to right-center, his seventh homer, estimated to have traveled 453 feet, making it 3-0. It marked Tanaka's sixth homer allowed in seven starts, including at least one in each of his last five starts.
