Yankees 11, Pirates 9: Offense Aplenty

After yesterday, where the Yankees scored a combined 0 runs in two games, the Yankees rebounded against the Pirates, scoring eight in the first three innings and 11 overall in a win against the Pirates.

The offense started immediately for the Yankees. Eduardo Nunez led off the game with a single. After Nunez stole second, Brennan Boesch singled as well. Then with Kevin Youkilis batting, Nunez went for third and our old friend Russell Martin threw the ball away, allowing Nunez to score and advancing Boesch to third. Youkilis homered in the same at bat and before an out was recorded, it was 3-0 Yankees.

In the second inning, the same three combined to add another run. Nunez bunted his way onto first and went to third on another Boesch single. A double by Youkilis made it 4-0.

But the Yankees biggest inning was the third. Jayson Nix and Chris Stewart lead off the inning with walks. After a Thomas Neal ground out advanced those two a base, Dan Johnson drew a walk to load the bases. Melky Mesa brought them all home with a grand slam to make it 8-0, staking him claim for a place on the opening day roster.

From there, the Pirates pitching settled down a bit, but the Yankees added three more runs anyway. The first of which came in the sixth inning. Mesa reached on a fielding error by Pedro Alvarez, and made it to third after a stolen base and a Nunez ground out. Brennan Boesch popped out, but it was deep enough to score Nunez. The tenth run scored in the eighth inning. Thomas Neal walked, stole second, went to third on Dan Johnson's sac fly, and then scored on a passed ball by Pirates catcher (sadly not our friend Russ this time) Lucas May. The Yankees added one last run in the top of the ninth, Addison Maruszak doubled to score Jose Pirela, who had reached after grounding into a force out.

Ivan Nova started for the Yankees. Like Hiroki Kuroda yesterday, Nova made it through the early innings relatively easily before running into trouble in the middle innings. Nova allowed four runs in five innings, all of which came in his final two innings of work. In the fourth, he walked Russ, hit Garrett Jones, and gave up doubles to Alvarez and Gaby Sanchez as the Pirates scored three that inning. In the fifth, he allowed a home run to Clint "Injured himself while carrying deer meat up stairs" Barmes, and single to Sterling Marte, before getting out of trouble by getting Russ to ground into a double play.

David Robertson got an inning of work, striking out one and walking one. Branden Pinder allowed the other Pirate run, in the seventh inning. That scored after he walked Felix Pie, who would come around to score on a Lucas May single. Matt Tracy walked one in his two innings of work, to finish the game.

That's what I get for tempting fate and trying to finish this recap early. Matt Tracy got through his first inning walking just one, but had trouble in his second. Ivan De Jesus lead off the ninth with a single. Next was Jordy Mercer who singled too. Then Matt Tracy threw a wild pitch moving them up a base. Felix Pie singled to score De Jesus, and then Alex Presley doubled to score Mercer, making it 11-8. (At this point, I got really nervous hoping the Pirates wouldn't tie or win the game, making me redo this whole friggin thing, thankfully though...) At this point Tracy was pulled for Chase Whitley, who got Jarred Goedert to ground out, which scored a run, and the other two outs to end the game. I am no longer a fan of you, Matt Tracy.

Nunez finished the day 2-4 with 2 runs scored. Youkilis was 2-4 with 3 RBI on the HR and double. Boesch was 2-3 with an RBI and a run. Chris Stewart was 1-3 with a walk. Nix walked twice. Juan Rivera went 0-4, Dan Johnson 1-3 with a walk, and Melky Mesa 1-3, but with that one hit being the grand slam.

After a day off tomorrow, the Yankees take the field again next on Tuesday at 1:05, against the Phillies.

Boxscore.