July 7 (UPI) — The New York Yankees combined for 22 hits, including six home runs, in a dominant victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Yankees pitcher Luis Severino allowed just four hits over six shutout innings in the 16-0 win Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
Josh Donaldson, Joey Gallo, Kyle Higashioka, Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton each homered for the Yankees.
“Games like this help guys get rolling,” Judge told reporters. “You get a couple of good at-bats, hit a couple balls in the gap and all of the sudden guys take off for a week or two, a whole month or even the rest of the season.”
Neither team scored for the first four innings. Yankees first baseman D.J. LeMahieu started the scoring with a two-run single in the top of the fifth.
Donaldson and Gallo added back-to-back solo homers in the top of the sixth. Higashioka followed with a 420-foot solo shot to center field in the seventh.
The Yankees took a 5-0 edge into the eighth. Pirates relief pitcher Manny Banuelos struck out Gallo to start the inning.
Yankees shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a single to left field. Banuelos then walked Higashioka and LeMahieu to load the bases for Judge.
The Yankees slugger belted an 0-1 Banuelos sinker to left field for a 419-foot grand slam. Donaldson drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the same inning.
Kiner-Falefa, LeMahieu and left fielder Marwin Gonzalez each reached base to start the ninth, loading the bases for Hicks. The Yankees outfielder proceeded to smack an 0-1 eephus pitch from relief pitcher Josh VanMeter to left center for a 409-foot grand slam.
Higashioka drove in the final run with an RBI single five at-bats later.
Kiner-Falefa went 4 for 6 with three runs scored. LeMahieu and Judge recorded three hits apiece.
Judge is now hitting .287 with a league-high 30 homers and 64 RBIs this season.
The Yankees (59-23) will face the rival Boston Red Sox (45-37) at 7:10 p.m. EDT Thursday at Fenway Park in Boston. The Pirates (33-48) will face the Cincinnati Reds (28-53) at 2:10 p.m. Thursday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.