Nestor Cortez seems to be active locally.
Friday night’s series opener at Yankee Stadium ended in disaster with a 5-3 loss to the Red Sox in the 10th inning, but it was a solid performance from the Yankees’ starting pitchers.
Cortes pitched six innings, allowing just three hits (one of which was a solo home run) and one walk.
He struck out eight batters and lowered his ERA to 3.41.
The left-hander is clearly much more comfortable at home.
“I love pitching here. [Yankee Stadium]”I love competing, and I know the split isn’t exactly how I want it to be, but every time I come here I feel like it adds a special atmosphere to my game and helps me perform,” Cortes said after the match.
Cortes entered Friday’s game, his 10th start at the stadium, with a 4-3 record at home with a 1.84 ERA. In nine road starts, Cortes is 0-4 with a 5.63 ERA.
Heavy rain slammed Yankee Stadium and caused a 38-minute delay before the bottom of the third inning, but the delay had little effect on Cortez, even as Romy Gonzalez hit a leadoff home run in the fifth inning.
“No matter how long the rain delayed me, I was ready to run,” he said. “I was ready to go and I was able to run six times.”
Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Hauck seemed to be more affected by the delay of game, giving up three runs (one earned).
Hawk allowed two hits and walked four in 3 1/3 innings.
Highlights of the Yankees’ fourth inning included a single by Gleyber Torres, a fielder’s choice by Austin Wells that brought home Juan Soto, an RBI walk by Anthony Volpe that brought home Aaron Judge, and a grounder by Trent Grisham that brought home Oswaldo Cabrera.
However, Cortes missed out on the win when relief pitcher Clay Holmes missed a chance for the save in the ninth inning after giving up a two-run home run to Masanao Yoshida to tie the game.
“This is not a time to panic,” Cortez said. “It’s a time to trust each other, trust what we have here and just keep going.”
