Chandler in top form vs. Yanks, but Bucs drop nightcap to split doubleheader

NEW YORK -- Right-hander Bubba Chandler had his best game of the season during Game 2 of the day-night doubleheader against the Yankees on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. He was able to stifle New York’s offense, but the Pirates ended up losing the game, 2-0.

In the first game the Pirates scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning and defeated the Yankees, 5-3.

The second game went downhill after Chandler was taken out of the game in favor of left-hander Brandon Eisert with one out in the seventh inning. With two outs and a runner on first, Jasson Domínguez doubled down the left-field line, scoring Cody Bellinger. Domínguez then scored the second run of the game on a single by Anthony Volpe.

“It’s tough with the walk to Bellinger and then giving up the hits to Domínguez and Volpe. You just have to throw strikes there,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said.

Chandler is known to have control problems, posting MLB’s highest bases on balls per nine innings (5.25) among pitchers with at least 75 innings. The way his outing started, it looked like Chandler wasn’t going to get out of the first.

Chandler walked leadoff batter Trent Grisham on five pitches. No. 2 hitter Ben Rice got ahead in the count, 3-0, at which point Pirates pitching coach Bill Murphy came out of the dugout to calm Chandler down, after which Chandler was able to induce a double-play grounder.

Chandler acknowledged that he was rusty because of the All-Star break and could not find the release point on his pitches during the first two innings of the game. By inning three, he figured out his delivery and shut out New York for the remaining 4 1/3 innings.

“I figured out what I wanted to do. Everything kind of fell into place after that. It was a good day,” Chandler said.

It appeared Chandler was strong enough to complete the seventh inning, but Kelly had a reason for taking him out of the game. Keep in mind that while Chandler was well rested, he hadn’t pitched in 10 days.

“It’s always a tough decision when you are taking a guy out,” Kelly acknowledged. “A lot goes into it when we are talking about these guys.”

Said Chander, “I want to go nine [innings] every outing, but it’s not how it goes sometimes. I was definitely losing some steam. I wish DK had left me out there, but Brandon came in, [and] I have all the confidence in the world [in him]. … He will get it next time when he pitches.”

Wednesday marked that fifth anniversary of when Chandler signed his first professional contract with the Pirates. He remembers it well. At the time of the signing, he loved watching Max Fried pitch. Fittingly, Chandler faced Fried on the anniversary date. Fried pitched five scoreless innings and allowed one hit. It was his first game since May 13 against the Orioles. He missed more than two months because of a left elbow bone bruise.

“Definitely cool,” Chandler said. “Before I signed, I was watching guys like Fried pitching in Atlanta, little stuff like that. Time flies.”