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.
“I said, `You ever get two at Yankee Stadium?' And he said, `no.' I said, `Well, I’ve seen people get two at Yankee Stadium,'” Pirates manager Derek Shelton recalled telling Reynolds. After batting right-handed against Rodón, Reynolds homered to center hitting left-handed against Tommy Kahnle (0-2).
“He walked back and said, `Yeah, so have I now,'” Shelton remembered. Reynolds looked at Shelton as he circled the bases. “So, yeah, spoken into existence,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds had his second multihomer game this season and the seventh of his big league career — his third from both sides. He leads the Pirates with 24 homers and 88 RBIs, reaching 24 homers for the fourth straight season. Joey Wentz, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski (5-5), Dennis Santana and former Yankee Aroldis Chapman (13th save in 18 chances) combined to retire the last 14 Yankees in order.
New York opens the Division Series at home Oct. 5 and would be assured home-field advantage in the League Championship Series by winning one of its last two.