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PITTSBURGH — The Yankees’ late-season upswing is going so swimmingly that they can start a pitcher they claimed off the scrap heap earlier this week and still pick up another win.
It is almost certainly too late to matter, but the Yankees won for the 14th time in their past 19 games, toppling the Pirates 6-3 on Saturday night at PNC Park.
While dreamers may be crunching the numbers to figure how the Yankees (76-73) might still be able to sneak into the playoffs — they moved within six games of the final AL wild-card spot — it is likely they dug themselves too big a hole to escape at this point.
Nevertheless, they clinched their fifth series win in their last six tries — after going 1-12-3 during a 16-series stretch that sunk their season — doing so this time by beating up on the Pirates (69-80).
“I’m just pleased with how the focus has been there, the preparation,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Even though we’re not in a great spot, feel like we’re playing for a lot. We want to win, we want to play well. There’s young guys with a lot to prove and are getting real opportunities.”
Three of them played a key role in the Yankees’ offensive output on Saturday.
Austin Wells smoked an RBI double in the first inning for his first extra-base hit since Sept. 3. Estevan Florial followed with a two-run single to put the Yankees up 3-0 against right-hander Luis Oritz.
And Oswaldo Cabrera crushed a solo home run in the eighth inning, his first since June 3, to cap off the scoring.
Giancarlo Stanton also hit his 24th home run of the year as the Yankees provided enough support for spot starter Luke Weaver.
Weaver, who was claimed off waivers from the Mariners on Tuesday with a 6.77 ERA, delivered four innings of three-run ball while striking out seven.
“Good one to build off of,” said Weaver, who is set to hit free agency this offseason.
The Yankees retired the final 21 Pirates in order, with nine of those outs coming from Jhony Brito, who has excelled out of the bullpen.
Since he last started a game, Brito has given up just two runs in 17 innings across six relief appearances.
“I think he’s still capable of being a starter and I think that’s how we view him,” Boone said. “But you could envision a lot of roles. … He’s a better pitcher today than he was at the start of the season and that’s good.”
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