PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s been a potential All-Star year for right-hand pitcher Jameson Taillon, 9-1 for the Yankees heading into Tuesday night and his return to PNC Park. Taillon, though, touched up for five runs including a pair of homers as the Pirates win 5-2.
“I didn’t have the best four-seam fastball that I have had all year,” Taillon said lasting 5.1 innings. “Against a lineup of eight lefties, that would have been nice to have in my back pocket.”
Daniel Vogelbach with a solo home run in the second as Taillon said a fastball ran back over the plate. Then a 3-2 changeup that Jack Suwinski put in the seats for a 3-0 lead in front of a sellout crowd of 37,733.
“It was good to be back,” Taillon said. “It was a great crowd that came out. They put together a nice game plan against me and played a really solid game.”
It was his first regular season game against his old team. He said he walked to the game by himself and thought about the adversity during his time in Pittsburgh including a pair of Tommy John surgeries and beating cancer.
“I went through a lot here, made lifelong friends,” Taillon said. “Been in these people’s weddings, watched families grow. It’s definitely cool to be back. The city always treated me really well. It’s been long enough now that it wasn’t super emotional.”
“This kid has persevered through a lot,” said Pirates Manager Derek Shelton. “If you spent any time with him he’s done it probably in as good as mindset as you can. He was always looking forward. He was always about the positive. I will cheer for Taillon every single time he pitches.”
“Beating one of those things are pretty remarkable let along three different instances of life-changing events,” said Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller. “It’s very special to everyone that he’s impacted to show that anything you go through there is an end to it and a good positive outcome can happen.”
“He’s a warrior. He’s been through a lot of adversity and he’s overcome it all. He’s doing pretty well for himself and for the Yankees too. It’s fun to follow along and watch him now that he’s healthy and has that stuff behind him.”
“He’s had some ups-and-downs,” said Pirates Ke’Bryan Hayes, who has known Taillon since he was in elementary school. “He’s been able to do a good job to push past it. I see him in the off-season, here and there. He works hard every day. I’m happy for him.”
The Pirates even did a rarity and played an opposing player’s introduction music. They also put together a highlight package and a thank you on the Jumbotron for Taillon as he warmed up in the first inning.
“It was cool,” Taillon said. “Nice to have my walkout song play in a visiting stadium. That was cool, hopefully I can get a copy of the video. I’d like to have that for the rest of my life.”