Yankees homer twice off Mitch Keller to pound split-squad Pirates, who tie Blue Jays on road

With a split squad playing the New York Yankees at home and the Toronto Blue Jays on the road, the Pittsburgh Pirates turned to two of the pitchers in contention to start on Opening Day.

Where Mitch Keller gave up a pair of home runs to the Yankees in a 9-1 loss in a Grapefruit League game Thursday afternoon at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., the Blue Jays scored their only run against Roansy Contreras on a balk and settled for a 2-2 tie in Dunedin.

Keller allowed three runs on four hits while throwing 33 of his 47 pitches for strikes and recording four strikeouts against a Yankees lineup that was missing superstar sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Contreras gave up one run on one hit and one walk while striking out three, as he threw 21 of his 33 pitches for strikes against a Blue Jays lineup that featured All-Stars George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Matt Chapman, Bo Bichette, Whit Merrifield and Santiago Espinal.

The Pirates play the season opener March 30 at Cincinnati and the second game April 1, so Keller and Contreras are both on schedule to pitch the opening weekend.

The Yankees started with a 394-foot leadoff homer by top prospect Anthony Volpe, who hit a 2-2 sweeper to left-center for a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Rafael Ortega turned Keller’s 2-2 sinker into a 379-foot, two-run homer to right-center for a 3-0 lead in the second.

The Yankees took a 4-0 lead on Estevan Florial’s double off Yerry De Los Santos to right that scored Jake Bauers in the fourth. Ortega tripled off Colin Holderman to drive in Oswald Peraza in the fifth to make it 5-0.

The Yankees stretched their lead to 9-0 on minor leaguer Andres Chapparo’s grand slam off Tyler Chatwood into the left-field bleachers in the ninth.

The Pirates avoided a no-hitter when Matt Fraizer hit a chopper to third off Matt Bowman and beat the throw by Jesus Bastidas. Drew Maggi, who is 3 for 6 this spring, broke up the shutout bid with a solo homer to left to cut the deficit to 9-1.

In Dunedin, Contreras walked Guerrero and gave up a two-out single to Daulton Varsho and was called for a balk while facing Chapman, scoring Guerrero for a 1-0 Blue Jays lead.

The Pirates tied it at 1-1 in the second when Chris Owings drew a bases-loaded walk against Nate Pearson, scoring Austin Hedges.

Bichette singled off Colin Selby to score Kevin Kiermaier to give Toronto a 2-1 lead, but Liover Peguero tied the game in the sixth when he stole third base and scored on a throwing error by catcher Andres Sosa.

The Pirates ended the Blue Jays’ chance to win in the ninth when Nathan Lukes grounded into a bases-loaded forceout, as first baseman Aaron Shackelford threw to catcher Henry Davis to get Spencer Horwitz out at home. John O’Reilly got Cam Eden to fly out to left for the final out.