Pirates Avoid Sweep With Walk-Off vs. Yankees
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates blew an early lead, but did just enough in extra innings to defeat the New York Yankees on a walk-off.
The Pirates avoid the sweep from the Yankees with this victory, as they lost 9-4 in the home opener on April 4 and 10-4 on April 5.
This is also just the third win of the season for the Pirates, as they beat the Miami Marlins 4-3 on March 28 and defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2 on April 2.
New York right fielder Cody Bellinger got a single in the top of the first inning with one out. Designated hitter Aaron Judge would strikeout, but Bellinger stole second base and then second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled, scoring Bellinger for a 1-0 lead.
The Pirates struggled from the plate through their first eight outs, with three stikeouts and no hits.
Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa got on base with a walk and then third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes singled with two outs in the bottom of the third inning.
Designated hitter Bryan Reynolds came through with a big hit off the center field wall for a bases-clearing double, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead.
Center fielder Oneil Cruz would single, moving Reynolds to third base, but catcher Joey Bart struckout, ending the inning.
First baseman Enmanuel Valdez blasted a pitch into deep center field, that split the outfielders, and would move quickly along the base paths for a one-out triple in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Left fielder Tommy Pham would hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Valdez and doubling the Pirates' lead at 3-1.
Second baseman Adam Frazier then singled and Kiner-Falefa hit a ball into the deep part of center field for a double, scoring Frazier and increasing the Pirates advantage to 4-1.
Heaney put in a sensational performance for the Pirates. He allowed just five hits, one walk and one earned run, while posting 10 strikeouts over 100 pitches in seven innings of work.
Right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana came in and pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Pirates, setting up left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki in the ninth inning.
Borucki struckout Chisholm, but allowed a single to Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe. He got catcher Austin Wells out on a bunt, which moved Volpe to second base.
He then walked left fielder Jasson Domínguez and allowed a double to third baseman Oswald Peraza, which scored Volpe, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Borucki then got center fielder Trent Grisham to the final strike, but allowed a single past Valdez at first base, scoring Domínguez and Peraza, tying it up at 4-4.
Pirates right-handed pitcher Chase Shugart came in for Borucki and got a ground ball from Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt that Frazier had to turn and throw him out, ending the top of the inning.
The game headed into extra innings, after the Pirates failed to get any runners on in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson came in for the Piraets in the top of the 10th inning. He got Bellinger to ground out, which moved Goldschmidt to third base and then intentionally walked Judge.
He would then get Chisholm to lineout to Frazier at second base and Volpe to groundout as well, giving the Pirates a chance to win it in the 10th inning.
Yankees right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver would get two quick outs from Hayes and Reynolds, but then intentionally walked Cruz and walked Bart, loading the bases with two outs.
Jack Suwinski, who came in at left field in the top of the ninth inning, would strikeout and send the game into the 11th inning.
Left-handed pitcher Joey Wentz came in for the Pirates in the 11th inning. He struckout both Wells and Peraza and got Grisham to fly out, allowing his team another chance to win it.
Suwinski started on second base and after Valdez flew out to start things off, he would steal third base with one out.
Pham, who had struck out three times prior, singled and scored Suwinski, walking it off and winning the game for the Pirates.
Raise the Jolly Roger!
— MLB (@MLB) April 6, 2025
Tommy Pham lines a walk-off single for the @Pirates. pic.twitter.com/p3X5mOXv4j
The Pirates will stay at PNC Park for their next series, as they host National League Central Divisional Rival in the St. Louis Cardinals.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.