Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Yankees: Final Score & Recap
Line Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIT | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| NYY | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 8 | 11 | 1 |
The Story
The New York Yankees defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 on July 20, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in a game that was effectively decided in the first three innings. New York burst out of the gate with four runs in the bottom of the first, surrendered three to Pittsburgh in the top of the second, then delivered the decisive blow with four more in the bottom of the third to push the DiamondIQ model's estimate of a home win from its pre-game mark of 58 percent all the way toward certainty, finishing at 100 percent. Pittsburgh scored two more in the top of the third but could not sustain any threat after that, going scoreless through the final six innings.
The biggest win-probability swing of the game came in the bottom of the third, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. launched a home run off Braxton Ashcraft that added 19.1 percent win probability, part of what became a four-run inning that buried any hope of a Pirates comeback. José Caballero followed with a double off Ashcraft worth 12.9 percent in the same frame, compounding the damage. Pittsburgh's best moment came in the top of the third, when Esmerlyn Valdez connected for a home run off Ryan Weathers that shifted win probability by 16.8 percent in the Pirates' favor, briefly tightening the game. However, Nick Gonzales grounded into a double play in the top of the fourth, a swing of negative 11.2 percent, and the Pirates never threatened again, with Marcell Ozuna adding another costly groundball double play in the eighth at negative 8.9 percent.
Chisholm Jr. finished as the game's most impactful performer, posting a WPA of plus 22.1 percent and an RE24 of plus 3.6. Valdez led Pittsburgh with a WPA of plus 19.7 percent and an RE24 of plus 1.6, while Caballero contributed plus 13.6 percent WPA and plus 1.1 RE24. On the mound, Angel Chivilli led New York's relievers with plus 7.1 percent WPA, followed by Wilber Dotel at plus 6.3 percent and Brent Headrick at plus 5.0 percent, as the Yankee bullpen shut the door through the game's second half.