PITTSBURGH — Turns out the Yankees do not need the long ball to put up a crooked number.
Especially when the bottom of the order is consistently cleaning up.
Already the majors’ highest-scoring offense (per game) through the first week of the season, the Yankees leaned on the depth of their lineup to pad those numbers Friday by walloping the Pirates 9-4 in a miserable home opener for the hosts at PNC Park.
The Yankees’ six through nine hitters — Anthony Volpe, Trent Grisham, Jasson Domínguez and Oswaldo Cabrera — combined to go 9-for-15 with three walks, two hit-by-pitches, five runs and seven RBIs to stake out an early lead.
“I thought the pressure from everyone all day was excellent,” manager Aaron Boone said. “That’s what those guys are capable of.”
Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham and Ben Rice celebrate during the Yankees-Pirates game on April 4, 2025.AP
Of course, the Yankees (5-2) did not let the game end without adding to their home run total, courtesy of Aaron Judge.
The reigning AL MVP, playing in his 1,000th career game, crushed a two-run shot in the seventh inning off lefty Tim Mayza — his sixth home run in seven games this year, putting him on pace for a ridiculous 139 homers in a full season.
Through seven games, the Yankees have scored 69 runs and drilled 23 home runs, though their first seven runs Friday came without leaving the park.
Anthony Volpe celebrates during the Yankees-Pirates game on April 4, 2025.Getty Images
“Just the depth, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Judge said. “You got guys all the way down in our 9-hole that can leave the park on you or give you a seven-, eight-pitch at-bat and then drill the ball in the gap. So just having the depth to where it’s not just a couple guys in the lineup you gotta worry about. You get down there, and you got Goldy [Paul Goldschmidt] and [Austin] Wells and Volpe hiding out in the middle of the lineup. It makes for a long night for the pitching staff.”
It was more than enough support for Max Fried, who once again was the beneficiary of an avalanche of runs, though this time he lasted long enough to pick up his first win as a Yankee.
Fried was on the mound when the Yankees boat-raced the Brewers for 20 runs Saturday, but the lefty only completed 4 ²/₃ innings.
On Friday, Fried was much sharper, tossing 5 ²/₃ innings and allowing just one run (a solo homer by Bryan Reynolds) while striking out six.
“Just felt like it was a little bit more of my game,” Fried said. “I was able to execute some pitches. I felt like the fastball down and in was really good today. When I’m throwing that fastball in, it just opens up everything else.”
Between the Yankees pummeling them and the Pirates’ self-inflicted wounds piling up, the agitated home crowd of 36,893 spent much of the day unleashing “sell the team” chants.
Max Fried pitches during the Yankees-Pirates game on April 4, 2025.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
They began in the third inning after Domínguez went the other way for a two-out RBI single that made it 3-0, with the ball getting booted in left field.
Cabrera (3-for-4, walk, four RBIs) then made it 4-0 with a single through the left side, an inning after he roped a two-run single to start the scoring off Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller.
“All the lineup, up and down, everybody’s trying to lock in and do their job,” Cabrera said. “Have to just keep rolling.”
Aaron Judge celebrates during the Yankees-Pirates game on April 4, 2025.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Yankees piled on some more in the fourth inning, again with two outs, as the frame turned into a slog.
This time, six straight Yankees reached base, with Volpe providing an RBI single, Domínguez driving in a run by getting hit by a pitch and Cabrera scoring another on a bases-loaded walk to make it a 7-1 bludgeoning.
Trent Grisham swings during the Yankees-Pirates game on April 4, 2025.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I think it’s a way we can do it [without homering],” Boone said. “You see the athleticism showing up now, I feel like that’s in play for us. And just overall, being hopefully a little more deep throughout the lineup and more balanced throughout the lineup. These guys are really putting together a lot of quality at-bats and making it tough on the opponent.”
