NEW YORK (AP) — Bryan Reynolds homered twice, including a tiebreaking two-run drive in the eighth inning that lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Yankees 4-2 on Friday night and delayed New York from clinching home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s two-run single put the Yankees ahead in the fifth inning but Nick Gonzales and Bryan Reynolds hit consecutive homers off Carlos Rodón in the the sixth.
After batting right-handed against Rodón, Reynolds homered hitting left-handed against Tommy Kahnle (0-2) for his second multihomer game this season and the seventh of his big league career.
Carmen Mlodzinski (5-5) pitched the seventh and former Yankee Aroldis Chapman the ninth for his 13th save in 18 chances as five pitchers combined for one-hit relief. New York’s last 14 batters were retired in order.
New York opens the Division Series at home Oct. 5 and would be assured home-field advantage in the League Championship Series with any combination of two wins or two Cleveland losses. The Guardians were losing to Houston in the eighth inning.
Rodón allowed two runs, four hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings. He finished 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA, a rebound from 3-8 with a career-worst 6.85 ERA in an injury-marred 2023 after signing a $162 million, six-year contract. Rodón has allowed a career-high 31 homers, 23 of them solo.
A night after clinching the AL East, the Yankees rested Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Austin Wells. Judge got his third game off this season after June 10 against Kansas City and June 19 against Baltimore. He has homered in five straight games, raising his major league-leading total to 58.
“It was weird trying to configure the lineup,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who has had Juan Soto hit second in 156 games and Judge bat third in 158.
New York plans to take Monday off, have combinations of workouts and simulated games the following three days and a mandatory workout on Friday ahead of the Division Series opener.
Pittsburgh starter Jared Jones gave up two runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings, reaching 100 mph on four pitches.
Chisholm stole a pair of bases for a career-high 40.
Right-hander Michael Burrows was added to the Pirates taxi squad.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu, who hasn’t played since Sept. 3 because of right hip impingement, plans to resume baseball activities in a few days. “I don’t know if they’ll use me or not, but I’m definitely going to try to be available,” he said. … RHP Jake Cousins, out with a right pec strain since Sept. 19, played catch Friday for the first time since getting hurt.
UP NEXT
Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (11-3, 1.99), a top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, makes his 23rd and final start. He has thrown 96 pitches of 100 mph or more — Angels right-hander José Soriano is second among starting pitchers with 40. RHP Luis Gil (15-6, 3.27) starts for the Yankees.
