The outcome of Friday’s game lost its significance for an extended period when Yankees reliever Anthony Misiewicz was struck squarely on the left ear by a 100.6-mph line drive in what turned out to be a thrilling 7-5 comeback triumph.
The audience at PNC Park, consisting primarily of Pirates fans with a smattering of Yankees supporters, responded with a collective exclamation of “OOOHH,” as Misiewicz was hit in his head and collapsed. Subsequently, a profound hush enveloped the stadium for several minutes.
Even as the Yankees rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to secure the victory, with the tying and go-ahead runs coming in when Pirates second baseman Ji Hwan Bae made a throwing error while attempting to execute what should have been a routine 6-4-3 game-ending double play, the focus remained firmly on Misiewicz.
The liner off Bae’s bat struck Misiewicz with such force that it traveled all the way into shallow right field, remaining airborne before dropping in front of Aaron Judge for a single. The harrowing moment was so tense that there was no celebration as Miguel Andujar ran from second base to home, knotting the game at 3-3.
Misiewicz, who had joined the Yankees organization on July 6 through a waiver claim and was called up from Triple-A on September 10, fell to his knees after being struck and remained in that position for approximately three minutes while team trainers attended to him.
The crowd erupted in applause when Misiewicz managed to sit up, and there was more cheering as he stood with assistance before being placed on a cart. Holding a towel over his injured ear with his left hand and clutching the baseball that struck him in his right, Misiewicz received another warm ovation as he was wheeled from the mound to an exit near the right-field wall.
Misiewicz was evaluated and found to be “alert” during a brief examination by a Pirates physician before being transported to Allegheny General Hospital for further evaluation.
Gerrit Cole expressed his concern and shared that he felt sick to his stomach about the incident. He mentioned that he had experienced being hit in the head on the mound before, although not to the same extent, and had witnessed others go through similar situations. He emphasized that everyone was hoping for the best for the injured player, highlighting the relief that he was conscious and alert throughout the ordeal.
However, it was the same Gerrit Cole, who summed the Yankees fight back.
“We just didn’t give up,” Yankee starter Gerrit Cole said. “Took what the game gave us and luckily we were able to execute, albeit with some second chances, to get the win.”
Yankees showed determination to fight back
Following Misiewicz’s departure, Zach McAllister hit Bryan Reynolds, putting two runners on with two outs. Then, Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a chopper behind second base that eluded second baseman Gleyber Torres, resulting in a fortunate two-run single.
The Pirates maintained a two-run lead until the ninth inning when they mounted a comeback against Colin Holderman. DJ LeMahieu and Judge began the inning with singles, and Torres walked to load the bases with no outs. Giancarlo Stanton fouled out to first base for the first out, but Estevan Florial drew a walk on a full count, forcing in a run to narrow the score to 5-4.
Anthony Volpe followed with a ground ball to short that could have ended the game. Liover Peguero fielded the ball and tossed to second for one out, but Bae’s throw to first base bounced before reaching first baseman Alfonso Rivas, resulting in an error and allowing the tying and go-ahead runs to score.
Aaron Boone commented on the play, stating that it appeared to be a situation that was set up perfectly for them, but they were fortunate to receive a favorable outcome.
The Yankees tacked on two more runs, increasing their lead to 6-5. Following hits by Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera, they secured an insurance run for closer Clay Holmes, who subsequently recorded a flawless 1-2-3 ninth inning to close out the game.
Gerrit Cole’s homecoming
In a remarkable homecoming, Gerrit Cole endured a challenging five innings at PNC Park. It was a nostalgic return for Cole, who was initially drafted by the Pirates as the first overall pick in 2011. The Yankees ace made his Major League debut in 2013 and became a cornerstone of the rotation during the franchise’s three consecutive playoff appearances from 2013 to 2015. However, in January 2018, the Pirates traded him to Houston.
Back then, Cole was in the early stages of his career, but he has since evolved into one of the premier pitchers in baseball. Nonetheless, his quest for his first-ever Cy Young Award may have hit a minor setback after his briefest outing since June 25. The Yankees ace conceded two runs, allowed six hits, issued three walks, and recorded four strikeouts.
Returning to the place where he once called home was undoubtedly a surreal experience for Cole. At times, he admitted that he found himself reflecting on his days in a different uniform.
“It was a humbling experience tonight,” Cole said. “It was a really special evening. I’m glad everybody’s doing all right right now and I’m glad that we got the win.”
The first inning proved particularly challenging for the Yankees ace, as he threw a hefty 29 pitches and issued three walks – a first in his remarkable 11-year career. This start marked his 298th appearance on the mound, with his ERA inching up slightly to 2.81, just ahead of Minnesota’s Sonny Gray at 2.83.
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