The Yanks overcame being “Heaney-ed” — shut down for 7 innings by off-speed master and old friend Andrew Heaney — and scored 3 runs after 2 were out in the 9th inning to tie the game — only to lose in 11 innings, 5-4, when Tommy Pham singled in a run with 1 out off Devin Williams.
On a cold Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
Oswald Peraza and Trent Grisham were the heroes of the 9th — Peraza ripping a 2-out, 2-strike double to leftfield to plate a run making it 4-2 and put runners on 2nd and 3rd, and Grisham lacing a 2-out, 2-strike single to rightfield to plate both runners and tie the game.
But the Yanks blew their opportunities to score the inherited runner from 3rd with 1 out in both the top of the 10th and the top of the 11th — in the 10th Jazz Chisholm Jr. lined out to 2nd for the 2nd out, and in the 11th Peraza struck out for the 2nd out.
“I thought he had a really good mix,” said manager Aaron Boone about Heaney. “He used everything — and seemed very unpredictable. You know his fastball plays up a little bit; he used that well. Whether it was the sweeper, even dropping in the the curveball, the changeup. All things that played for him. He was just a little unpredictable for us all day and then kind of executing. In and around there we had some pitches to hit that we didn’t take advantage of, but for the most part he pitched pretty good.”
NY drops to 6-3; the Pirates salvage the final game of the 3-game set and go to 3-7.
1. Yanks “Heaney-ed”
As Yankee fans know, if Andrew Heaney’s off-speed stuff is off-speeding, he is tough to beat. If it isn’t, he can be drubbed.
It looked like it might be the later in this game when Cody Bellinger reached on an infield single with 1 out in the top of the 1st, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled him home for an early 1-0 Yankee lead.
Jazz brings home Belli 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SQhxn5cLrv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 6, 2025
But that was it. Heaney’s off speed stuff off speeded — and he would not allow another run on the day — pitching 7 innings of 5-hit, 1-run ball, striking out 10 and walking 1.
Heaney used an 81-MPH changeup, an 81-MPH slider, an 81-MPH curve, a 77-MPH SLOW curve, a 72-MPH Really SLOW curve, and an 89-MPH four-seam fastball to baffle the Yankee batters.
2. Warren Good First Time Thru Lineup
Meanwhile, Will Warren started for the Yanks and was lights-out thru the first 8 batters of the game — including 3 strikeouts and a bunch of groundouts — including a tough one in the bottom of the 2nd that Anthony Volpe made a terrific play on.
Smooth with it 😎@Volpe_Anthony pic.twitter.com/ro7LhbDasV
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 6, 2025
But he had trouble the 2nd time thru the lineup — getting into 2-out trouble in the 3rd by walking Isiah Kiner-Falefa, allowing a single to Hayes, and a 2-RBI double to Bryan Reynolds for a 2-1 Pirate lead.
Warren allowed a single to Cruz to put runners on 1st and 3rd but got out of the inning with a strikeout of Bart.
But in the bottom of the 4th he ran into more trouble: a 1-out triple by Enmanuel Valdez, sac fly by Tommy Pham, single by Adam Frazier, and RBI double by Kiner-Falefa made it 4-1 Pittsburgh — before he got the final out by striking out Tommy Pham.
3. Headrick & Gomez with 4 Shutout Innings
6’6 lefty Brent Headrick relieved Warren and pitched a shutout 5th and 6th — strikeout, pop up, fly out in the 4th, then walk, strikeout, strikeout, strikeout in the 5th — so 2 innings, 4 K’s, no hits.
Then Yoendrys Gomez came in and pitched a shutout 7th and 8th — retiring 6 of the 7 batters he faced, allowing just a 1-out walk in the 7th.
4. Yanks Clutch Comeback
The Yanks faced Pirate reliever Ryan Borucki in the 9th — a 31-year-old, veteran 6’4 lefty in his 3rd season with Pittsburgh after years with Toronto and Seattle.
Borucki struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. to start the inning, Anthony Volpe reached on an infield single, but Austin Wells grounded out and the Yanks were down to their final out, losing 4-1.
Jasson Dominguez worked a walk to put runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs — and the count went 2-2 to Oswald Peraza — the Yanks down to their final strike.
But Peraza got a HUGE Clutch double to left, scoring Volpe and putting runners on 2nd and 3rd — the tying run at 2nd!
Up came Trent Grisham with a chance to tie it — the Yanks needed just a single. Borucki went 1-2 on Grisham. Grisham took a ball low, then ripped a 2-2 slider to right — scoring both runners for a tie game at 4-4!!
Trent in the clutch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OhBYgl2J9J
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 6, 2025
5. Weaver Shuts the Door in 9th & 10th
Luke Weaver came in and was lights out — pitching a 1-2-3 9th inning — strikeout, fly out, fly out — and the game was on to extras.
After the Yanks failed to score in the top of the 10th, Weaver took the mound in the bottom of the 10th with the inherited runner on 2nd — and again was great. He got a groundout to shortstop to start the inning, keeping the runner at 2nd, then got a lineout to right, again keeping the runner at 2nd.
Weaver then intentionally walked Oneil Cruz, and unintentionally walked Joey Bart — loading the bases. He fell behind Jack Suwinski 2-1 — but then came back with a four-seam fastball that was fouled off, and then struck out Suwinski swinging on a 2-2 changeup. HUGE.
6. Yanks Blow Chances in 10th & 11th
But meanwhile the Yanks blew chances to go ahead in both the top of the 10th and the 11th.
In the 10th, Cody Bellinger grounded out to start the inning, moving the inherited runner to 3rd with 1 out. Pittsburgh intentionally walked Aaron Judge, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. lined out to 2nd for the 2nd out, and Anthony Volpe grounded out.
In the 11th, Austin Wells struck out to start the inning, Jasson Dominguez reached on an error making it 1st and 3rd — but Oswald Peraza struck out and Grisham flied out to left.
7. Pirates Walk It Off
And finally in the bottom of the 11th, Devin Williams got Valdez to fly out, not moving the inherited runner Suwinski — but Suwinski stole 3rd base, and Tommy Pham, in a 9-pitch at bat, fouled off 3 straight 3-2 pitches and lined an 85-MPH changeup to left for an RBI single and the old ballgame.
Be the first to comment