Nestor Cortes was pitching at home, which meant the Yankees had the extinct version of the lefty.
They should try to bottle whatever is in the Bronx air and take it with them on the road.
Cortes pitched five scoreless innings in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Mariners on Wednesday night at Stadium.
He allowed only three hits and three walks while striking out six, and said after the game it was as hard as he had ever thrown his fastball and cutter.
“He had some really good stuff tonight,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It had a little extra power. The fastball was a blur tonight, and the cutter, everything was fine. … Set the tone for us tonight.
His only flaw was a high pitch count – he had thrown 74 pitches in three innings, but he found quick outs in the fourth and fifth innings before being replaced by Tommy Kahnle to start the sixth inning after throwing 97 pitches .
This continued Cortes’ home and away splits this season.
He has now allowed just five earned runs in six starts and 40 ¹/₃ innings pitched at home, lowering his ERA Wednesday to 1.11 at Stadium.
Cortes struck out 41 batters at home and walked only five.
This is a far cry from his performances elsewhere.
Cortes owns a dismal 6.75 ERA on the road, allowing 19 earned runs in five starts and 25 ¹/₃ innings pitched.
He struck out just 23 away from home and walked 10.
Opponents have a .293/.359/.509 slash line with an .868 OPS against Cortes on the road.
It’s a simple formula: The Yankees are 1-4 when Cortes starts on the road, and 4-2 when he starts at home.
His next two starts are likely to be on the road, as the Yankees begin a nine-game West Coast trip Friday in San Diego.
“I think it’s the fans,” Cortes said of throwing at home. “Obviously, it’s our home ground. It’s special to pitch here. …Having that fan base behind you and knowing that every time you throw two strikes, they’re pumped for you to get that out, and just generally pumped after you get out of the fifth, sixth, seventh inning, whatever . Maybe it is, you will get a standing ovation if you did a good job.
Cortes’ exit Wednesday night was expected from Yankees starters in recent weeks.
They have been relentless in their dominance, allowing just seven earned runs in 62 ¹/₃ combined innings over their last 10 outings, good for a miniscule 1.01 ERA.
And all this without their ace, Gerrit Cole.
Watch out for the hitters.
“Being able to get to the fifth (inning) for us and get it to the bullpen, that was huge,” Aaron Judge said of Cortes’ outing. “Especially having 70-plus pitches in the first three (innings), it’s usually tough to come back.”
New York Post
