Baltimore Orioles Defeat New York Yankees, 6-4, for Fourth Win in Last Five Games
Coming into Monday night's game against the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole had yet to give up more than three earned runs in a start.
Within the first three innings on Monday, Baltimore did just that against the flame-throwing lefty, putting up a four-spot in the third on their way to a 6-4 win against the best team in MLB.
The Orioles (18-25) went down 2-0 early, thanks in part to Aaron Judge's league-leading 16th home run of the season.
However, that four-run third changed the entire complexion of the game, the big hit of the inning coming off the bat of Austin Hays, a two-run single.
O's starter Jordan Lyles out-pitched Cole on the day, giving up three earned runs over 6.2 innings of work, striking out eight.
It was Lyles' third-straight start of at least 5.2 innings of work allowing four or fewer earned runs. Additionally, he's struck out six or more batters in each of those starts.
New York tied up the ballgame with two runs in the fifth inning, but Ramon Urias was quick to respond for Baltimore, using the short porch in right field to his advantage as he hit a solo home run, an opposite-field blast.
Urias's home run traveled 364 feet with an exit velocity of 98.9 MPH, but it's not the distance that matters: it only matters if the ball goes over the fence.
Felix Bautista and Jorge Lopez pitched well in relief of Lyles, throwing 2.1 innings of relief without allowing a hit.
Since the final game of the Yankees' series in Baltimore to Monday night's win, the Orioles have win four of their last five games, the lone loss coming at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.
Things should be getting better for Baltimore on Tuesday as their best pitcher, Bruce Zimmerman, takes the mound against Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery.
A win on Tuesday would give the Orioles a 5-7 record against the Yankees, a great sign after Baltimore went 8-11 against New York in 2021.
Staying competitive against the best of the best in the American League is only going to make the Orioles better in time.
