PITTSBURGH — The New York Yankees surged past the Pittsburgh Pirates, claiming a dominant 10-4 victory in their recent matchup on Saturday, largely due to Trent Grisham’s performance at the plate.
Grisham’s bat was blazing as he launched two home runs, one of which was a crucial three-run blast during the fifth inning that contributed to a major six-run rally. Initially, Grisham targeted Bailey Falter (0-1) early in the game with a shot that initiated the third inning, and then followed up with another dramatic homer in the fifth. His second round-tripper barely cleared the left field fence, solidifying New York’s third consecutive win and improving their season record to 6-2.
Paul Goldschmidt was also a key contributor, recording three hits for the Yankees who now boast a remarkable total of 25 home runs just eight games into the season. Oswaldo Peraza bolstered the lineup with two hits and scored twice, while Anthony Volpe delivered a critical bases-clearing double off Colin Holderman in the fifth, widening New York’s lead comfortably. Aaron Judge, the current major league leader in home runs and RBIs, marked his 1,001st career game with a single.
Mark Leiter Jr. (1-1) held the Pirates at bay with a scoreless sixth inning. Yankees starter Marcus Stroman, however, had a rough outing, allowing four runs on three hits in the fourth inning amplified by three walks and as many strikeouts, pushing his early ERA to 7.27.
Despite Stroman’s struggles, reinforcement for New York’s pitching is anticipated. Clarke Schmidt recently threw a solid 3 1/3 scoreless frames in a rehab start at Double-A Somerset and is expected to be back by mid-April.
For Pittsburgh, Ke’Bryan Hayes provided some offense with two hits and an RBI, while Enmanuel Valdez added a two-run double during the Pirates’ fourth-inning push that briefly gave them a 4-2 edge.
The Yankees turned it around swiftly in the fifth, when Jasson Dominguez started with a double, followed by Peraza’s single, setting up Grisham’s second homer of the game, giving the Yankees a lead they maintained for good. This achieved his third career multi-homer game.
The Pirates showed signs of rallying after overcoming Stroman, creating an electrifying atmosphere at PNC Park for the local fans. However, Grisham’s explosive swing muted the enthusiasm, securing the Yankees a decisive victory.
As it stands, the Pirates have started the season abysmally with a 2-7 record, their worst since the 2020 season which began with 10 losses over the first 12 games.
The weekend series is set to conclude on Sunday. New York’s Will Warren (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will face off against Pittsburgh’s Andrew Heaney (0-0, 1.80 ERA).