Jazz Chisholm Jr. homers twice and drives in 5 as Yankees sink Pirates 8-5 after benches clear

On a night when New York squandered an early four-run cushion, Chisholm’s 10th career multihomer game and first since Sept. 2 last year helped the Yankees win for the third time in their last 12 home games.

Chisholm hit a three-run drive for a 4-0 lead in the first inning, two batters after the Pirates committed two errors on one play. Third baseman Nick Gonzales misplayed Paul Goldschmidt’s grounder into a two-base error, and Ben Rice scored when Reynolds bounced his throw from left field.

Chisholm added a two-run shot for a 6-5 lead in the third when he lifted a slider into the first row of the second deck, giving him homers in three straight plate appearances dating to Sunday night. Chisholm leaned over the plate to watch the ball stay fair before completing his home run trot.

The flashy second baseman also hit a tiebreaking homer to left-center in the eighth inning to send New York to a 2-1 win in the nightcap of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Dodgers.

Chisholm connected for his second homer off Ashcraft after rookie Esmerlyn Valdez launched a 431-foot two-run shot off Ryan Weathers into the right-field seats to give Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead in the third. Valdez became the first Pirates player since Kevin Young in 1999 to drive in a run in eight straight games and has 13 homers in his first 33 games.

Caballero followed Chisholm’s second homer with a two-run double in the third after Austin Wells reached on an infield single to load the bases.

Jared Triolo hit a two-run double and Gonzales added an RBI single in Pittsburgh's three-run second.

Angel Chivilli (1-0) worked 1 1/3 hitless innings for the win and Fernando Cruz got four outs for his second save.

Ashcraft (9-4) permitted a career-high eight runs — seven earned — and nine hits in three innings.

Up next

Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77 ERA) opposes New York RHP Will Warren (7-4, 4.03) on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb