By GEORGE A. KING III

PITTSBURGH — The Yankees’ plan to fly Dan Giese home ahead of the team tonight was foiled by severe thunderstorms.

Giese, who is slated to start the first game of a two-stadium, Subway Series doubleheader Friday, went to the Pittsburgh airport late Thursday afternoon and found the storm had closed the airport.

As of 8:30, when the Yankees-Pirates game was in a rain delay, Giese was still at the airport. Because the airport was closed, the Yankees didn’t know when their charter would take off.