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The Yankees squeezed across two runs on Friday but could not do much else as they fell to the Pirates, 4-2, at Yankee Stadium.
-Carlos Rodon looked good the first five innings in his final start of the regular season, allowing just two hits and striking out five, but struggled with his command by walking four, although he managed to keep the Pirates scoreless.
That all changed in the sixth when he allowed back-to-back home runs to Nick Gonzalez and Bryan Reynolds, which tied the game at 2-2. Gonzalez’s home run barely made it over the left field wall as Jasson Dominguez tried to make a play on it but could not get up high enough to rob the homer. Reynolds followed with a 379-foot opposite field shot into right field.
After getting Joey Bart to ground out, Aaron Boone elected to go to the bullpen with Rodon at 95 pitches through 5.1 innings.
Despite the blemishes in the sixth inning, it marked Rodon’s fifth consecutive start of allowing two or fewer runs, which he has also done 10 of his last 13 starts as he finishes his season with a 3.96 ERA.
-Reynolds struck again in the eighth inning from the left side of the plate when he belted a two-run blast to center field off of Tommy Kahnle to give Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead.
-Jazz Chisholm had himself a big day, going 2-for-4, including a two-run single in the fifth to give the Yankees a 2-0. Following the single, Chisholm then stole second as part of a double steal with Juan Soto, which gave him a career-high 40 stolen bases on the season.
Chisholm jokingly tried to take the base after reaching the personal milestone.
-Because the Cleveland Guardians lost, the magic number for home-field advantage throughout the postseason is now at one. A win or Guardians loss on Saturday will clinch the No. 1 seed in the AL for the Yankees.
Reynolds belted two home runs – one from each side of the plate – which tied and gave the Pirates the lead. He finished 2-for-3 with three RBI.
The Yankees continue their final series of the season on Saturday against the Pirates at Yankee Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET.
It will be a rookie pitcher duel as Luis Gil (15-6, 3.27) toes the rubber opposite for the Yanks opposite of 22-year-old sensation Paul Skenes (11-3, 1.99) for the Pirates.