Yankees drop the nightcap, 5-3; split with Pirates .... (Game 2) Brett Gardner was picked off third base after leading off the game with a triple. The Yankees committed a pair of errors that led to an early run. The base-running blunder and fielding follies to be too much to overcome as the Yankees loss the nightcap, 5-3, and split a straight doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates before the few remaining diehards of a crowd of 46,858 at Yankee Stadium. It was the Yankees first single-admission doubleheader at home since 2004. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak by the Yankees (23-20), who are nonetheless in first place in the American League East by a half game over Baltimore. Josh Harrison hit a solo homer that just cleared the leftfield wall in the seventh inning off reliever Alfredo Aceves (0-2) that proved to be the game-winner. Pittsburgh (18-25) added an insurance run in the ninth. In the eighth inning, Harrison made a sensational diving, back-handed catch to rob Yangervis Solarte of an extra-base hit that would’ve tied the score. With Derek Jeter on first and no outs, Solarte, who earlier blasted a solo homer, hit a rope down the left field line that Harrison snagged. Lefty Vidal Nuno gave the Yankees a solid outing. He allowed three runs and six hits (one homer) over six innings. He struck out five and walked one while throwing 81 pitches. Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole, a former Yankee draft pick who decided to go to college (UCLA) out of high school, was equally effective. He yielded three runs and seven hits over six innings while striking out eight and walking two. He left with the score tied, 3-3. In the opener, Hiroki Kuroda (3-3) labored through six innings and the bullpen shut the door the rest of the way as the Yankees won 4-3. Kuroda allowed three runs on five hits (two homers) while striking out seven and walking two. It was his first victory in over a month. David Robertson, one of four relievers, recorded a four-out save, his eighth of the season. Mark Teixeira sparked the offense with a two-run single in a three-run first inning. After Gardner was picked off third base in the first inning following a lead-off triple, the Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Starling Marte reached on a throwing error by Solarte at third. The Pirates then put runners on first and second when second baseman Brian Roberts fumbled the ball while trying to turn a double play. Chris Stewart banged a base hit to score Marte. Pittsburgh gave it right back in the bottom of the inning. With Solarte at first and two outs, John Ryan Murphy singled to right centerfield and the ball somehow rolled pass right fielder Jose Tabata, scoring Solarte. Then, Brendan Ryan laid down a bunt, plating Murphy. Nuno faltered in the sixth. With two outs, Starling Marte turned on an 82-mpg breaking pitch and blasted a two-run homer over the right centerfield fence, giving Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. Solarte continued his magic carpet ride of a season in the sixth inning, tying the score, 3-3, with a mammoth blast into the right field bleachers. It was his fifth homer and team-leading 23rd RBI. With the Yankees trailing by a run in the seventh, Mark Teixeira, who has been money this season, popped out to second with runners on second and third and two outs. Below: Josh Harrison of the Pittsburgh Pirates is tagged out in a rundown by Kelly Johnson #33 of the New York Yankees to end the fifth inning. harrison later hit a solo home run in the seventh. Gerrit Cole #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch against the New York Yankees. Starling Marte #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates hits a sixth-inning two-run home run against the Yankees. Yangervis Solarte #26 of the New York Yankees celebrates his sixth-inning home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 00:14:53 +0000
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