Yankees Walk To Victory Over Pirates 6-5

Today's Game: 

Tyler Anderson toed the rubber, while Brian Goodwin was in center and Oneil Cruz manned shortstop. Dustin Fowler got another look, starting in left. Michael Feliz, Rich Rodriguez, Geoff Hartlieb, Dave Bednar, Blake Cederlind and Braeden Ogle.

Anderson went three frames, which was an inning too long. In the third, he gave up a three-run shot to Giancola Stanton and the next pitch was lost by Gleyber Torres, both cranked 420'+, and with a first frame run in the books, it was 5-0 Bronx Bombers. Feliz pitched a clean, seven-pitch frame and Ric Rod struck out the side in the fifth around a double. Then the Bucs flexed their muscles in the sixth; Jared Oliva got them on the board with a solo blast and Goodwin whacked a granny to knot the count, with the damage all done against ol' Bucco Justin Wilson. 

Goodwin's grand slam wasn't enough tonight - 2021 photo Pirates Photo Day

Hartlieb tossed a 1-2-3 inning and Bednar, though touched for a couple of hits, fanned a pair in a scoreless seventh. Cederlind ran into big control issues in the eighth, with a free pass, HBP (both after being up 0-2 in the count) and a rap to go with two strikeouts. He then walked in the lead run on his 24th pitch and Shelty called on Ogle, who buried a slider for a whiff to end the frame. The Pirates went quietly in the ninth, and the Yankees took home the W, 6-5.

Notes:

• Pittsburgh had five hits; four of them were in the sixth inning, when they did all their damage. They drew two of their four walks in that frame, too.
• It was a whiff-fest; the Pirate pitchers fanned 11 in eight innings and the Yankees collected 13 scalps in nine frames. The two squads used 13 twirlers; all but Feliz had at least one punch out.
• Good news for the SS battle: Kevin Newman's hammy is about ready for action and Cole Tucker is taking batting practice with no restrictions after bruising his thumb. Anthony Alford's arm, which hindered his throwing, is also coming along well; he's even played a bit in CF lately.

Tomorrow's Game:

Mitch Keller opens the match against Baltimore at LECOM Park. It's a 1:05 start with the game broadcast by AT&T SportsNet and KDKA 1020/PRN.