Nestor Cortes was pitching at home, which meant the Yankees got the lights-out version of the southpaw.
They should try to bottle whatever is in the air in The Bronx and bring it with them on the road.
Cortes tossed five scoreless innings during the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Mariners on Wednesday night at the Stadium.
He gave up just three hits and three walks while striking out six, and said after the game it was as hard as he’s ever thrown his fastball and cutter.
“He had really good stuff tonight,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He had a little extra power. The fastball was fuzzy tonight, and the cutter, everything was uptick. … Set the tone for us tonight.”
His only flaw was a high pitch count — he had thrown 74 pitches through 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.
It continued Cortes’ stark home and away splits this season.
He’s now given up just five earned runs in six starts and 40 ¹/₃ innings pitched at home, lowering his ERA Wednesday to 1.11 at the Stadium.
Cortes has struck out 41 batters at home, and walked just five.
It’s a far cry to his showings anywhere else.
Cortes owns a woeful 6.75 ERA on the road, giving up 19 earned runs in five starts and 25 ¹/₃ innings pitched.
He has struck out just 23 batters away from home, and walked 10.
Opponents have a .293/.359/.509 slash line with a .868 OPS against Cortes on the road.
It’s been a simple formula — the Yankees have gone 1-4 when Cortes starts on the road, and 4-2 when he starts at home.
His next two starts are likely set to take place 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 about pitching at home. “Obviously, it’s our home field. It’s special to pitch here. … To have that fan base behind you and know that every time you’re on two strikes they’re pumped up for you to get that strikeout, and just pumped in general after you come out of the fifth, sixth, seventh inning, whatever inning it may be, you’re gonna get a standing ovation if you did a good job.”
Cortes’ outing Wednesday night has come to be expected out of Yankees starters in recent weeks.
They’ve been relentless in their dominance, allowing just seven earned runs in 62 ¹/₃ innings combined over their last 10 outings, good for a miniscule 1.01 ERA.
And all that is without their ace, Gerrit Cole.
Batters beware.
“To be able to get to the fifth [inning] for us and hand it off to the bullpen, that was huge,” Aaron Judge said about Cortes’ outing. “Especially having 70-plus pitches in the first three [innings], that’s usually tough to come back from.”