Yankees fans will love Nestor Cortes Jr.'s explanation for dominance in the Bronx

Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes Jr. might be nasty on any night when he hits his spots consistently, but he does seem to save his very best for the bright lights of Yankee Stadium. In fact, when Gerrit Cole returns, New York's braintrust should probably find a way to finagle a six-man rotation that exclusively drops Cortes in the Bronx.

Is the left-hander's web-slinging dominance random, one of the many quirks of the game we love? Or is there something that fuels him? The sightline? The lighting? The mound?

The fans.

After a two-game rough patch, the Yankees needed Cortes to dazzle on Wednesday to get the team back on track against a Mariners team that lacks for offense, but has been punching pretty consistently in this particular series. Turns out, all it took was a hyped-up crowd and the comforting blanket of home; Cortes worked his magic, keeping his pitch count in check for five dominant innings after an early stumble. After the game, he credited the environment for the comfort he feels each time he toes the rubber in David Cone's Boogie Down.

Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. praises fans after another dominant start in the Bronx

At this point, the lefty's sample size is seemingly large enough to rule out a fluke. He's emerged out of nowhere to lower his career ERA to 3.74, but in the Bronx, that dips all the way to 2.90 in 35 starts (56 games), with a 14-3 record to boot.

He was exactly what the pinstriped doctor ordered on Wednesday night and his excellent start, combined with Marcus Stroman's vibe reset after the bullpen blew his gem on Monday, proved that team chemistry remained stable after a frustrating setback. It's certainly possible fans took the series' first two games harder than the players did, which is probably something that should be covered with a therapist.

At least they didn't show their dismay outwardly, and still showed up with full intensity for Cortes Jr. on Wednesday. Who knows? That mid-week enthusiasm might've led directly to a crucial win.