Arizona @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2010 ) NY Yankees 6, Arizona 5

The New York Yankees got a dominant starting pitching performance from Hiroki Kuroda on Sunday, allowing them to head into Tuesday’s series opener with the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks with a well-rested bullpen. The Yankees have been getting better-than-expected offensive production and have won five of six after a slow start. The Diamondbacks have won three of four and swept their only road series at Milwaukee.

Arizona is coming off its own shutout performance in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday and its staff has yielded a total of two runs in the last three victories. Paul Goldschmidt is leading the team with a .348 batting average and provided the walk-off hit in Sunday’s win. Kuroda’s shutout on Sunday night gave Mariano Rivera the day off, but the veteran closer will be singled out on Tuesday whether he pitches or not. Rivera is the last active player to choose Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 and all players on both sides will join him in wearing the number as Major League Baseball honors the legendary Hall of Famer on the 66th anniversary of breaking the color barrier.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Brandon McCarthy (0-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Ivan Nova (0-1, 7.71)

McCarthy is having a rough adjustment to National League after signing with Arizona in the offseason. The veteran was reached for six runs on nine hits in his first outing and was knocked around again by the light-hitting Pittsburgh Pirates in a loss last Tuesday. McCarthy is 2-0 in five career appearances (three starts) against New York but has posted a 5.79 ERA in those outings. New Yankees Travis Hafner (6-for-15 with two homers and seven RBIs) and Lyle Overbay (5-for-10) have also been tough on the 29-year-old.

Nova did not fare well in his first start, allowing four runs and five hits to the Detroit Tigers over 4 2/3 innings, and has not pitched since April 5. The 26-year-old was pushed back due to rainouts and skipped over as the No. 5 starter. Nova has never faced the Diamondbacks and has fared worse at Yankee Stadium than on the road in his career, posting a 4.95 ERA at home and a 3.97 mark away.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees LH Andy Pettitte (back spasms) was pushed back again and will not pitch until Friday. He had been expected to go Tuesday or Wednesday.

2. Arizona 2B Aaron Hill left Sunday’s game with wrist soreness. X-rays were negative and he is day-to-day.

3. New York SS Eduardo Nunez (wrist) has missed the last two games but has been available as a pinch runner.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Diamondbacks 5