<p>TAMPA, Fla. — Corey Kluber overcame occasional wildness, allowing two runs and four hits over four innings in his second start, and the New York Yankees beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 on Saturday.</p>
<p>Kluber is a two-time Cy Young Award winner with his third team in three years. He has thrown one inning since being hit on the right forearm by a comebacker in May 2019, none since tearing a muscle in his right shoulder in his Texas debut last July 26. That injury ended his season after one inning.</p>
<p>Kluber hit two batters, threw a wild pitch and allowed a third-inning solo homer to Troy Stokes Jr. He struck out two in an outing when the Pirates went down in order just once.</p>
<p>“Some pitches, probably, could have been located a little better, been a little sharper” Kluber said. “The home run, first pitch, left it a little too much over the plate. Definitely some stuff to work on. Fine tuning location, things like that.”</p>
<p>“I was happy with the way I felt physically,” he said.</p>
<p>The right-hander allowed a leadoff double and hit a batter in the first inning but got out of the jam with a double play. After a perfect second, Kluber gave Stokes’ homer and then avoided further damage by working out of a two-on, one-out situation.</p>
<p>Kluber, who turns 35 in April, struck out three over two perfect innings in his other start on March 3 against Toronto. He had a live batting practice session five days later.</p>
<p>After losing to the eventual AL champion Tampa Bay Rays in a five-game Division Series last year, the Yankees allowed Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and J.A. Happ to become free agents. They signed Kluber to an $11 million, one-year contract and acquired Jameson Taillon from Pittsburgh for four prospects.</p>
<p>“Looks like himself,” Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu said, “Ball’s moving all over the place.”</p>
<p>New York’s projected rotation also includes ace Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery. Deivi García and Domingo Germán are among the candidates for the fifth starter spot.</p>
<p> NOTES: Pirates C Tony Wolters struck out swinging on a pitch from Darren O’Day that hit him in the sixth. Wolters went down to the ground after being struck by the waist-high pitch before walking back to the dugout. “It’s a hard game, it really is,” O’Day said. “I’m not going to gloat about it.”… New York closer Aroldis Chapman, who worked a perfect fifth, has found success throwing his split-change. “Really good results,” manager Aaron Boone said. … LeMahieu will get playing time at third and first base before the team breaks camp. … Yankees OF Aaron Hicks had a bunt single in the third that hugged the foul line until it hit third base. Hicks put both his arms over his head after seeing the ball stay fair. … Pittsburgh OF Anthony Alford appeared to get hit around the hand by Kluber in the fourth and left the game.</p>
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