Yankees Take 2 of 3 In Pittsburgh

Yesterday, as the game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh went to extra innings, there were about 8,000 fans left, and one of them managed to start a chant of "Yankees suck!"

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't had a winning season in 7 years. They have missed the Playoffs the last 9 seasons, and 29 of the last 32. And they haven't won a Pennant, much less a World Series, in 46 years.

I'm just saying: If you want to say that the opposing team "sucks," make sure your own team has a better recent record than the Pirates.

However you want to define "recent." And that includes having played 28 innings at home without having won a game.

The Yankees went into Pittsburgh on Friday, for the Pirates' home opener. Max Fried had a considerably better 2nd start for the Yankees than his 1st start. Fernando Cruz wasn't very good out of the bullpen, but Brent Headrick and Devin Williams were. The Yankees got a home run from Aaron Judge, 3 hits and an RBI from Anthony Volpe, and 3 hits and 4 RBIs from Oswaldo Cabrera, and beat the Pirates, 9-4.

Marcus Stroman started the Saturday game, and he was no good, allowing 4 runs in 4 innings. But the Pirates' starter was named Bailey Falter, and that's what he did: He faltered, giving up 7 runs in 4 innings, including 2 home runs to Trent Grisham. Grisham had 4 RBIs, Volpe 3 on 2 hits, and Paul Goldschmidt went 3-for-4 with an RBI. The Yankees won, 10-4, with Mark Leiter Jr. credited with the win in relief.

The Yankees may have used up all the runs in their new "torpedo bats," because they went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position on Sunday. Every Yankee starter got on base at least once, and Grisham went 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs, but Volpe was the only other Yankee to get on base more than once.

Will Warren copied Stroman by allowing 4 runs in 4 innings, and it looked like that would be it. Andrew Heaney struck out 10 Yankees, walking only 1 (Judge, one of those "unintentional intentional walks," designed to prevent a home run). A comeback in the 9th tied the game, but the Yankees fell victim to the "ghost runner" rule in the bottom of the 11th, and lost, 5-4. Williams was tagged with the loss, but might not have lost if not for the stupid rule.

So, a week and change into the season, the Yankees are 6-3. They lead the American League Eastern Division by half a game over the Boston Red Sox, a game and a half over the Toronto Blue Jays, 2 over the Tampa Bay Rays, and 2 1/2 over the Baltimore Orioles.

Having taken 2 out of 3 in Pittsburgh, the roadtrip continues, as they play 3 afternoon games against the Detroit Tigers.