Skenes shines in Yankee Stadium debut

NEW YORK — Paul Skenes pitched two perfect innings in his Yankee Stadium debut and the Pittsburgh Pirates hit five homers, including four off rookie Luis Gil, in a 9-4 win Saturday that delayed New York from clinching home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.

Yasmani Grandal and Nick Gonzales hit solo homers in the first four innings off Gil (15-7). Rookie Billy Cook in the fifth and Jared Triolo in the sixth added two-run drives. Nick Yorke hit a two-run homer in the ninth against Will Warren.

New York has lost four of five and opens the AL Division Series at home Oct. 5. The Yankees would be assured of home-field advantage in the League Championship Series by winning their regular-season finale or by Cleveland losing one of its last two.

Aaron Judge followed his third game off this season with his third five-strikeout game, his first since May 5, 2021.

In front of 46,069. New York’s 17th home sellout crowd, Skenes threw 23 pitches to six hitters. He threw four over 100 mph, including three to Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

“He was outstanding,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We knew it was going to be a shorter start. This is a really tough lineup and he executed pitches throughout the first six hitters.”

With girlfriend and LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne in the stands, Skenes threw a 99.8 mph fastball on the high, outside corner that Soto took for a called third strike. Judge struck out swinging at a sweeper that was outside.

A top contender for NL Rookie of the Year, the 22-year-old right-hander finished 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA in 23 starts and 133 innings — 29 innings shy of qualifying for the National League ERA title. He struck out 170 and walked 32.

“It was cool definitely glad to be able to finish the season,” Skenes said. “Cool to do it here, cool to do it against this lineup.”

Skenes is the first rookie pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA and at least 23 starts in a season since Scott Perry for the 1918 Philadelphia Athletics, according to STATS,