NEW YORK (AP) — Jared Triolo and Jake Mangum hit run-scoring singles against Fernando Cruz in the 10th inning, Jacob Gonzalez and Nick Gonzales homered off Gerrit Cole and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Yankees 5-3 Wednesday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
Ben Rice tied the score with his 30th home run, a three-run drive in the seventh inning off Carmen Mlodzinski.
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New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Pittsburgh Pirates' Jacob Gonzalez (26) in the fifth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice watches his three-run home run in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice reacts after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski reacts after giving up a three-run home run to New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski reacts after giving up a three-run home run to New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Triolo and Mangum drove in runs off Cruz (4-4), who allowed two hits and two walks while getting just one out.
Mason Montgomery (3-3) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Gregory Soto got three straight outs for his 13th save in 18 chances.
Cole retired his first 14 batters before allowing Nick Gonzales' single and Jacob Gonzalez's two-run homer. Nick Gonzales added a solo homer in the seventh off Cole, who in his previous start gave up Max Muncy's two-run, eighth-inning homer that lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win.
Cole struck out 11, his most since Aug. 25, 2023, and extended his Yankees record for double-digit strikeouts games with 29. He allowed three runs and four hits with no walks.
Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller gave up three hits in five scoreless innings.
New York went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Yankees hitting coach James Rowson was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing after José Caballero was called for a pitch clock violation for not for engaging Mlodzinski with more than eight seconds remaining. Caballero took an inning-ending called strike and Yankees manager Aaron Boone continued arguing with plate umpire Quinn Wolcott during the break.
Brent Headrick struck out the side in the eighth and extended his home scoreless streak to 35 innings, the longest for the Yankees since Allie Reynolds' 36 innings rom Sept 16, 1953, to June 2, 1954, according to STATS.
New York LHP Max Fried (4-3) and Pittsburgh RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77) were to start the night game.
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New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Pittsburgh Pirates' Jacob Gonzalez (26) in the fifth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice watches his three-run home run in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice reacts after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski reacts after giving up a three-run home run to New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski reacts after giving up a three-run home run to New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
CHICAGO (AP) — An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells found the 18-year-old’s cause and manner of death to be “undetermined” pending further investigation.
The civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.
The autopsy report, he said, showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. It described a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells' skull as “inconclusive” and meriting further investigation.
Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death."
Wells had traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4 with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. His body was discovered two days later floating off the island's coast.
In his report, the pathologist pointed to several challenges inherent to the independent autopsy, including the decomposition of the body and outstanding questions about whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water.
Because an initial autopsy was performed by the medical examiner in Mississippi, Wells’ body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs, according to the report, which notes that the practice is not unusual.
Still, the revelation, relayed by Crump, prompted gasps from the crowd of several hundred in Chicago. The attorney called on state officials to provide that evidence for the family to review as part of their own independent investigation.
The Mississippi medical examiner, which has not released the results of the state autopsy, did not return a message seeking comment.
The second autopsy was paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, whose group Know Your Rights Camp has paid for other independent autopsies.
“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said of the results.
The still-unknown circumstances around Wells’ death have touched off rampant online speculation and prompted calls from Black leaders for transparency from local authorities. Wells, who was Black, had traveled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white.
A reward of $125,000 — jointly funded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now being offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the death.
The autopsy announcement comes two days after Wells was laid to rest in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
In his eulogy, Sharpton lamented the “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” that had placed a dark cloud over the grieving family.
He questioned why Wells’ friends had left him behind, taken his phone and keys and failed to report him missing. And he suggested local investigators had spoken prematurely in statements to the news media indicating no crime was suspected.
“The reason that a lot of people across the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is because we’re looking at the history in Mississippi,” Sharpton added. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. He has said the friends were cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing.
“We are trying to be respectful and collaborative as much as we can,” Crump said. “But it’s always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever.”
An earlier version of this report had an incorrect first name for the forensic pathologist. He's Dr. Roger Mitchell, not Robert Mitchell.
Attendees gesture at a news conference about the results of an independent autopsy of Nolan Wells at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)
Christine Wonsley speaks at a news conference about the results of an independent autopsy of her son, Nolan Wells at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference about the results of an independent autopsy of Nolan Wells at the NAACP National Convention in Chicago, Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld)
Christine Wonsley, center, is flanked by her husband Elmore, second from left, attorney Ben Crump, left, and Rev, Al Sharpton, right, during a memorial service for her son Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Attorney Ben Crump, center, speaks next to Elmore and Christine Wonsley, at left, and Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Elmore Wonsley, center, speaks next to attorney Ben Crump, left, and Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
