Jared Jones’ reaction to being pulled in the fifth inning Friday at Yankee Stadium left few doubts as to how pleased he was with his final outing of the season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie, sharp to start vs. New York, had loaded the bases in the fifth inning, leading to manager Derek Shelton removing him at 85 pitches.
Jones was visibly upset, yelling into his glove as he walked off the mound into the dugout.
The 23-year-old righty (6-8, 4.14 ERA) took a no-decision, allowing two runs on five hits through 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven with two walks, but the Pirates came out on top 4-2.
A two-run homer by Bryan Reynolds in the eighth inning, his second of the evening, ended up being the difference for the Pirates (75-85).
After the game, Jones had cooled off enough to evaluate his first start in Yankee Stadium.
“Felt good,” he said on the SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame show. “That’s about it. Felt good, we got away with the win, so walking out of here with the win, that’s pretty cool.”
The Yankees got on the board first in the fifth, leading to Jones’ exit.
Jose Trevino led off with a single, Oswaldo Cabrera doubled and Jones intentionally walked Juan Soto to create the one-out, bases-loaded jam, with Shelton yanking him soon thereafter.
Entering the game was reliever Joey Wentz, who then allowed the first runs of the game, charged to Jones, with the Yankees going up 2-0 on an RBI base hit by Jazz Chisolm.
Wentz re-loaded the bases with a walk of Jason Dominguez but got back-to-back flyouts to escape the inning.
“I love his intensity,” Shelton said of Jones. “I think that’s one of the main things that you love about this kid — he’s a competitor. He goes after people. I think if it were up to him, he would pitch until the game’s over every single time.”
Battling Jones on the hill was Yankees starter Carlos Rodon, who also took a no-decision, allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Failing to find any luck vs. Rodon early, the Pirates finally got to him in the sixth, when Nick Gonzales led off with a solo shot to left field that just left the yard, escaping the outstretched glove of Dominguez at the wall.
Moments later, the score was tied 2-2 as Reynolds lifted his 23rd homer of the year, going back-to-back with Gonzales.
The homers, which got Jones off the hook for a loss, chased Rodon, with Ian Hamilton taking over on the mound.
After Wentz left, Colin Holderman and Carmen Mlodzinski delivered scoreless relief outings, keeping the score tied 2-2 through seven innings.
In the eighth, with Tommy Kahnle pitching, Billy Cook got aboard with a single and Reynolds crushed his 24th home run of the season, 421 feet to center field, handing the Pirates a 4-2 lead.
Reynolds hit his first homer of the game right-handed, whereas his second was as a lefty.
“I think that just speaks to the year Bryan’s having,” Shelton said. “He’s at what, 87-88 RBIs now? Just really solid, really consistent.”
Dennis Santana, acquired off waivers from the Yankees this summer, came on in the bottom of the inning, retiring New York in order.
In the ninth, the Pirates entrusted Aroldis Chapman to close things out.
Chapman, a Yankee for parts of six seasons from 2016-22, made quick work of his former team, notching his 13th save of the year.
Mlodzinski (5-5, 3.22 ERA) was Friday’s winning pitcher.
