NEW YORK — The Pirates’ rotation had one of its best days of the season on Wednesday. The bats and the bullpen both had days they’d like to forget.

In the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, homers from Nick Gonzales and Jacob Gonzalez and a rebound outing from Mitch Keller earned the Pirates a 5-3 win against the New York Yankees. Bubba Chandler matched the longest outing of his career with 6 1/3 shutout innings in the second, but the Yankees jumped on the Pirates’ bullpen for a 2-0 win in the nightcap.

Chandler and Keller combined for 11 1/3 scoreless innings and 11 strikeouts. The bullpen allowed five runs in seven innings. The offense combined for 29 strikeouts in 19 innings.

It added up to an unsatisfying split, even against Yankees stalwarts Gerrit Cole and Max Fried. The Pirates dropped the series to the Yankees and went 3-3 on the road trip.

In the early game, homers from Gonzales and Gonzalez off Cole gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead. It’s a combination that has paid dividends for the Pirates since acquiring Gonzales from the Chicago White Sox before the MLB draft.

“S and Z, it creates a little confusion sometimes,” manager Don Kelly said. “ ... Can’t call ’em each ‘Gonzo.’ ”

But Ben Rice’s three-run home run off Carmen Mlodzinski meant extra innings were needed. Jared Triolo and Jake Mangum had RBI singles in the 10th against right-hander Fernando Cruz before Gregory Soto recorded the save.

The homers were all the Pirates managed against Cole, who was otherwise dominant. Cole struck out 11 Pirates, a season high, and retired the first 14 batters of the game before Gonzales singled in the fifth.

After a Gonzales single in the fifth inning, Gonzalez followed with a homer over the short porch in right field, then Gonzales added a solo homer into the right-center field bullpen in the seventh.

“He’s a great dude and a great hitter,” Gonzales said. “It’s fun to watch that guy swing. Just get on base and he can drive me in.”

The lead stood for much of the game. Keller came out of the All-Star break with a much better outing, pitching five scoreless innings and allowing three hits, all singles. He walked two and hit a batter but also struck out six and found ways out of the few jams he faced.

“They’re a really good lineup, so just have to execute,” Keller said. “Can’t fall behind. Just throw strikes. I know I had two there in a row but get right on it and get after ’em.”

The Pirates turned to Carmen Mlodzinski for the sixth inning despite Keller throwing just 75 pitches. The decision made sense, as Keller has had a few rough outings lately and allowed two hits in the fifth, but Mlodzinski couldn’t hold the lead.

Up 3-0 after Gonzales’ homer, Mlodzinski started the seventh by allowing a soft double and walking No. 9 hitter Austin Wells. After a Trent Grisham popup, Mlodzinski grooved a 3-1 cutter to Ben Rice that he crushed for a game-tying blast.

In the second game, Chandler largely cruised. Six of his first seven pitches were balls, leading to a visit from pitching coach Bill Murphy, but he settled down after.

Chandler got 19 outs in 22 batters. He threw 84 pitches, 57 for strikes, and drew 11 whiffs. His fastball topped at 102.

But Kelly turned to left-hander Brandon Eisert instead of letting Chandler face lefties Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm for a third time. But the lefty Eisert walked Bellinger, then allowed an RBI double to right-hander Jasson Dominguez and an RBI single to righty Anthony Volpe to break the 0-0 deadlock.

Fried dominated the Pirates for five innings in his return from a bone bruise. He was limited to 57 pitches, but four relievers finished the shutout.

The Pirates brought the tying run to first in the ninth when Esmerlyn Valdez walked for a third time, but Ryan O’Hearn grounded out against Tim Hill to end it. The play was challenged — as “New York, New York” played — but umpires did not overturn the call.

On the mound

Before the All-Star break, Keller said he was looking forward to taking the time to “hone in” on mechanics. It seems they also re-evaluated some of his pitch mix.

Keller used his cutter and slider slightly more than he has throughout the season, throwing 16% cutters (typically 8%) and 15% sliders (typically 9%) while largely scrapping his sinker and sweeper. He threw just two sweepers, a pitch he typically throws 17% of the time. He said that was mostly matchup-based, but was still pleased with his progress.

“I think I’m trending in the right direction,” Keller said. “I obviously don’t think I have it all figured out yet, but a lot of positives, for sure.”

It was Keller’s first scoreless outing since April 8 and best since May 24, when he allowed one run in six innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mason Montgomery pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, getting the game to extras and earning the win.

At the plate

The Pirates had just four hits against Cole but made them count. Mangum added a single in the sixth, finishing the game 2 for 5 with a stolen base.

Valdez saw his streak of eight consecutive games with an RBI and an extra-base hit end, the Pirates’ longest RBI streak since Kevin Young in 1999 and longest extra-base streak since Sid Bream in 1986.

The Pirates struck out 17 times, but found a way to win the opener. Twelve strikeouts proved too many in the second.

Bucs bites

— Spencer Horwitz (left hamstring strain) began a rehab assignment on Tuesday at Low-A Bradenton. He went 1 for 1, walked twice and scored twice while playing five innings at first base.

— Right-hander Noah Murdock was named as the Pirates’ 27th man for the doubleheader, but did not appear. He’s been the 27th man twice, but has yet to make his Pirates debut.

— The Pirates announced the signing of second round supplemental selection Chris Rembert, a second baseman out of Auburn, between games. The Pirates have now signed 11 of their 21 picks.

Up next

The Pirates are off Thursday before beginning a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night at 6:40 p.m. Jared Jones (2-1, 4.05) will start that one against Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd (6-1, 4.15).

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