The Orioles are plodding toward the All-Star break. The New York Yankees might just sprint past them before that.
With a 270-foot dash around the bases, New York infielder Gleyber Torres showcased their ability to do so. After hitting a two-run homer in the opening inning, Torres scored from first on a single for the tiebreaking run in the fifth of what became an 8-4 victory for the Yankees. The defeat was the Orioles’ sixth in seven games and ensured they will leave New York with no better than a split in this four-game matchup.
Including this one, Baltimore (49-35) has won only four of its past 12 series, going 16-18 in that span. With five games left before the All-Star break, the Orioles’ lead on the Yankees (48-38) for the American League’s top wild-card spot is down to two games.
“When you play six months, you’re going to have periods of not playing your best baseball; we’re in that period right now,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Tough time last couple of weeks with putting the game on the mound and the game at the plate together. We’re having a tough time scoring runs. Thought we’ve had a couple of good starts the last couple of games, but haven’t executed out of the bullpen. You’re gonna go through periods of this during the season. Hopefully, we can bounce back and get out of this quickly.”
Down 3-0 early, the Orioles rallied in the top of the fifth on home runs by Aaron Hicks and Adam Frazier bookending a double from rookie Jordan Westburg, who returned to the lineup after missing Monday’s game with a sore left hand. Hicks’ solo shot, coming in his second game at Yankee Stadium since New York released him in May, was preceded and followed by a collection of boos.
With two outs in the bottom half, Orioles starter Kyle Gibson walked Torres, then allowed a single up the middle to Giancarlo Stanton. Center fielder Cedric Mullins charged the ball and threw to second, but Torres didn’t stop running and scored easily when the throw short-hopped Frazier. Hyde described the run as “unfortunate,” saying it “shouldn’t have happened.”
“We have not played well the last couple games here,” Hyde said. “They’re playing way faster than we are. They’re playing better baseball, and we need to match that.”
It was the last of the four runs Gibson allowed in six innings, a relative bounce-back after the veteran right-hander surrendered 11 runs in 7 2/3 innings across his previous two starts. With the homer, Torres accounted for the only run scored off Gibson that didn’t originally reach base on a walk.
“I created my own issues, really,” Gibson said. “I missed with a couple pitches when I was in leverage counts that led to at least two of the walks. If I don’t walk guys right there, it’s probably a 3-1 game after six innings, and I’m feeling pretty good about it. So created my own issues, and most of the time when you do that, they’re going to come back to bite you.”
Gibson’s Fourth of July afternoon began with one of those walks, and Torres followed by hammering a cutter to left field. Largely thanks to his 13 home runs against Baltimore in 2019 — the most by any player against one team since 1961 — Torres has 21 career home runs off Orioles pitchers, accounting for nearly a fifth of his career total. Gibson allowed only two hits the rest of his outing, though the Yankees scored without one in the fourth on a walk, hit batter, groundout and sacrifice fly.
Torres helped break the game open off the Orioles’ bullpen in the seventh. After Jose Trevino homered off left-hander Nick Vespi, Torres doubled to left. Vespi intentionally walked Stanton before giving way to right-hander Bryan Baker, who allowed both runners to score on a double by Harrison Bader, who hit a game-winning three-run homer in Monday’s series opener. In the eighth, left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, an Ellicott City native recalled before the game, allowed an unearned run after his own fielding error.
After the home runs in the fifth, Baltimore’s offense struggled to break through again. The Orioles left the bases loaded in the sixth when Westburg flied out to shallow center. In the ninth, Westburg singled, went to third on a double by Ramón Urías and scored on a groundout by James McCann, but the rally ended there.
After their final two games in New York, the Orioles close the first half with a three-game series in Minnesota. Hyde emphasized the importance of those games, hoping that his players don’t view them as a final stretch before a reprieve. Gibson said these upcoming contests could leave the Orioles feeling much better heading into the break.
“When you start off well, like we did, I think you gave yourself a little bit of wiggle room to have stretches like this, and I think because of our start, you can maintain confidence a little bit better,” Gibson said. “… We understand that we put ourselves in a really good spot right now, that we can weather storms like this. A good five games going into the break, and we can carry some momentum.”
Around the horn
- Before the game, the Orioles activated McCann (left ankle sprain) from the injured list, placed left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez on the 15-day IL with left forearm soreness, recalled Zimmermann and optioned Chris Vallimont in a swap of long-relief bullpen arms. After a rough start to the season, Pérez hadn’t allowed a run in his previous five appearances but felt soreness in his forearm playing catch Monday, Hyde said, adding the organization’s concern level is low.
- All-Star outfielder Austin Hays, who suffered a left hip bruise Sunday and hasn’t played since, felt better Tuesday and took batting practice in the cages, Hyde said.
Orioles at Yankees
Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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