Pirates Falter vs. Yankees, Lose Series
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates faltered again vs. the New York Yankees, suffering a 10-4 defeat at PNC Park.
This loss is the second in the series, as the Yankees won 9-4 back on April 4, ensuring the Pirates lost this series.
Pittsburgh drops to 2-7 on the season, as they lost three games against the Miami Marlins, all on walk-offs, and two out of three games to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The 2-7 start is the worst for the Pirates since they started 2-9 in 2020, where they finished with an MLB-worst record of 19-41.
Center fielder Oneil Cruz would hit a double off of Yankees starting pitcher, right-hander Marcus Stroman, in the first inning with two outs, but third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes struck out, stranding a runner for the Pirates.
Left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter would start for the Pirates and he hit Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to lead off the second inning. Chisholm stole second base and catcher Austin Wells singled, scoring the first run of the game.
The Yankees doubled their lead in the top of the third inning, as center fielder Trent Grisham hit a solo home run over the right field wall. This home run served as the 24th over eight games for the Yankees, a new MLB record.
Pittsburgh would battle back in the bottom of the fourth inning, as both designated hitter Bryan Reynolds and Cruz walked to start off.
Hayes then doubled, scoring Reynolds and moving Cruz to third base, and left fielder Jack Suwinski would walk, loading the bases with no outs.
Right fielder Alexander Canario struckout, but first baseman Enmanuel Valdez blasted a ball off the right field wall, scoring both Cruz and Hayes and moving Suwinski to third base, giving the Pirates a 3-2 lead.
Catcher Endy Rodríguez grounded out to first base, but that was enough for the Pirates to double their lead, 4-2.
Falter struggled in the fifth inning, giving up a leaoff double to Yankees left fielder Jasson Domínguez and then a single to third baseman Oswald Peraza.
Grisham came through again for the Yankees in the next at-bat, hitting his second home run of the game, a three-run shot to left field that got them back in the lead, 5-4.
grisHIM 😤 pic.twitter.com/AV3pYQHsGB
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 5, 2025
Falter continued having issues, walking Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and then allowing a single to designated hitter Ben Rice, before Pirates manager Derek Shelton took him out.
Right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman, who has had his problems this season, came in relief for the Pirates.
Holderman hit Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge with his first pitch, a sweeper that didn't break enough, loading the bases with no outs.
He then allowed a bases-clearing double from shortstop Anthony Volpe into center field, making it 8-4 to the Yankees.
The Yankees added onto their lead in the top of the eighth inning, as Peraza doubled to left field, Grisham moved Peraza to third base on a sacrifice and then Goldschmidt singled, scoring Peraza.
They put up another run in the top of the ninth inning, as Judge singled, Volpe doubled and Wells hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Judge and making it 10-4.
The Pirates will try to avoid the sweep in the series finale against the Yankees on April 6. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.
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.