NEW YORK – Jazz Chisholm Jr. knows that the Yankees have not played to their talent level over the past several weeks, seeing several areas of their performance that require cleanup. He doesn’t mind pinning one of those spotlights on himself, understanding that when his swing feels right, he can carry the lineup.
One of those hot streaks may have arrived. Chisholm enjoyed the 10th multihomer game of his career on Monday evening, driving in five runs with a pair of long balls as the Yankees outslugged the Pirates, 8-5, at Yankee Stadium.
Including Sunday’s win over the Dodgers, Chisholm has homered three times in the past two games, giving him 16 for the season. Both of Chisholm’s homers came off Braxton Ashcraft – a three-run blast in the first inning, then a two-run shot in the third.
Chisholm’s first homer came in a four-run first inning, with the first run scoring on a double error. Ryan Weathers has not received much run support all season; pushed to Monday’s start by Saturday’s rainout, he couldn’t hold the rare advantage.
Pittsburgh chipped away with three runs in the second inning, then took a lead on Esmerlyn Valdez’s two-run shot in the third.
New York reclaimed the lead against Ashcraft, who lasted three innings, charged with eight runs (seven earned). After Chisholm’s shot to the second deck in right field, Caballero ripped a two-run double down the left-field line that capped an eventful first three innings, with 13 total runs scored between the clubs.
