Pirates vs. Yankees Game Canceled, Make-Up Date Announced
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NEW YORK — The Pittsburgh Pirates have tried to play normal series without rain delays or cancellations, but they haven't been able to do that recently.
The second game of the Pirates and Yankees series at Yankee stadium on July 21 has been postponed, due to impending thunderstorms and heavy rain in the New York City area.
New York City is currently in a flood watch until early tomorrow morning and with the threat of thunderstorms, it seems the Yankees thought it best to just play both games the next day, which has a forecast of sun and blue skies with no rain.
Those two games are set for 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on July 22, which still gives the Pirates a day off on July 23. They originally had a 1:35 p.m. day game set for that day, but will now play two games.
Pirates Keep Having Games Cancelled
It marks the the third straight series that the Pirates have had a doubleheader, due to different issues.
The Pirates and Brewers series opener at PNC Park on July 10 started in a rain delay and then the Pirates postponed it and made July 11 a doubleheader.
Pittsburgh's following series opener with the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 17 also ended up with a cancellation, as fires from Canada made the air quality in the Cleveland area too poor for baseball to occur.
The Pirates went 3-1 over those two doubleheaders, taking both vs. the Brewers, 7-6 in game one and 3-2 in game two, then splitting the doubleheader with the Guardians, 7-1 in game on and then losing 5-3 in game two, after the bullpen gave up five runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
Rookie right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez dominated for the Pirates in these doubleheaders, with two home runs in game one vs. the Brewers, including the go-ahead grand slam, then a home run in game two vs. the Brewers and another home run in game one vs. the Guardians.
Pirates Need Bounceback Against Yankees
The Pirates suffered an 8-5 defeat to the Yankees in the series opener at Yankee Stadium on July 20, a game that they definitely could've won.
Pittsburgh fell behind 4-0 in the first inning, but rallied back to take a 5-4 lead in the third inning, with none other than Valdez hitting a two-run, opposite field home run to put them on top.
Right-handed starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft struggled massively in this outing, as he gave up eight runs and seven earned runs over just three innings of work, including allowing two home runs to Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.
It marked the most runs and earned runs allowed for Ashcraft in a start in his major league career and he's not pitched as well lately, with 18 earned runs over 19.2 innings for an 8.24 ERA.
The game also ended in an almost brawl between Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Dennis Santana and Yankees shortstop José Caballero at the end of the eighth inning, but nothing serious occurred, despite benches clearning and bullpens empyting.
Pittsburgh is right there in the National League Wild Card race and two big wins at Yankee Stadium would end a hugely successful road trip and put them in a better position going forward.
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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.