Pirates Walk Off Yankees in 11, but Offensive Woes Persist
The Pirates notched a thrilling 5-4 walk-off win over the Yankees in 11 innings Sunday afternoon, salvaging the series' final game and snapping a frustrating skid. Despite the excitement of the late-inning heroics, the game once again exposed the Pirates’ ongoing offensive struggles and their heavy reliance on pitching to stay afloat early in the 2025 season. Through 10 games, the Pirates are now 3-7, and this was just their first game scoring more than four runs all season, requiring extra innings to do so. Offensively, they were just three-for-nine with runners in scoring position, and once again struggled to convert early baserunners into runs. Ke’Bryan Hayes, going hitless in two at-bats with RISP, and Joey Bart, going hitless in an at-bat with runners in scoring position, failed to come through in key spots, continuing a season-long trend of missed opportunities.
Pitching Shines, Borucki Stumbles
The game's story early on was Andrew Heaney, who delivered his best performance in a Pirates uniform so far. The left-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball. Heaney allowed just five hits while striking out 10. After a clean relief appearance from Dennis Santana, Ryan Borucki nearly undid it all. Borucki surrendered three earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning in the ninth. The Yankees tied things up at four and were threatening a sweep. The Pirates then responded with rare resilience. Jack Suwinski stole third base, setting the stage for Tommy Pham to knock in the winning run with a walk-off single up the middle.
Takeaways from the Win
Pirates pitching remains the backbone of this team, as the Pirates staff combined for 13 strikeouts and allowed just eight hits over 11 innings. Offensively, the Pirates are showing signs of life but inconsistency in the middle and bottom of the order remains a glaring issue. Players like Hayes, Suwinski, and Bart continue to leave runners on base. Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz provided the bulk of the timely offense, but Pittsburgh needs more depth around them. Overall, The Pirates left nine runners on base, underscoring their ongoing struggles to finish innings.
Final Thoughts
This win doesn't erase the larger issues. Through 10 games, the Pirates are still averaging fewer than three and a half runs per game. Even in a victory, they needed 11 innings and a shaky bullpen performance to escape those torpedo bats. Still, the walk-off win could serve as a turning point, especially if the top of the order continues to deliver in key spots. The Pirates continue their homestand with a three-game set against the Cardinals, hoping to carry momentum from this walk-off into a much-needed series win.
