BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge started a five-homer barrage that backed Gerrit Cole, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 Tuesday night to win consecutive games for the first time since Sept. 1 and 3.
Cole (15-7) returned from left hamstring tightness that cut short his Sept. 7 start against Toronto. He stranded the bases loaded in a 29-pitch first inning when he struck out Ramón Uris and allowed one run and four hits in five innings with seven strikeouts and three walks. He threw 108 pitches.
Judge homered hit a two-run homer in the first off a changeup from Alexander Wells (1-3), his 34th home run this season. Judge is 20 for 58 with three doubles, nine homers and 15 RBIs against Baltimore this year.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer in the third and Luke Voit followed for back-to-back homers and a 5-0 lead.
Joey Gallo added his 34th homer in the eighth off Spenser Watkins and DJ LeMahieu homered in the ninth to reach double digits for the fourth straight season.
New York won for the third time in 11 games and tied Toronto for the AL-wild card lead with 17 games left. Boston was a half-game back heading into a late game at Seattle.
The Yankees are 2-0 at the start of a stretch of 10 games against teams with losing records.
In his second game since being moved from shortstop to second base, Gleyber Torres allowed Urias’ potential double-play grounder in the sixth to bounce off a glove for an error, his 19th this season and fifth since Sept. 5. Torres followed by making a tough pickup on Pedro Severino’s grounder, stepping on second and throwing to first for a double play.
Torres was removed for a defensive replacement in the eighth.
Michael King followed Cole with three hitess innings.
At 81-64, the Yankees assured they will not have a losing record. The Yankees have not finished below .500 since 1992.
New York grounded into three double plays and has hit into 137, second to Washington’s 140.
Wells gave up five runs and seven hits in four innings.
Ryan Mountcastle had an RBI double in the fifth for the Orioles, who at a major league-worst 46-98 are headed to 100 losses for the third straight full season.
MOVES
Orioles: RHP Marcos Diplán was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and INF Pat Valaika had his contract selected from the Tides.
TRAINING ROOM
Orioles: LHP Tanner Scott (left knee sprain) was placed on the 10-day IL. He had a 2.78 ERA and 1.374 WHIP in the first half and a 9.82 ERA and 1.964 WHIP after the All-Star break. … INF Jorge Mateo (right lumbar inflammation)was placed on the 60-day injured list, ending his season. “Very disappointing because this guy was getting a chance to play in the big leagues … and playing well,” manager Brandon Hyde said. … DH Trey Mancini left in the fourth with abdominal soreness. … Yankees RHP Sal Romano injured a finger on his pitching hand trying to grab a comebacker by Kevin Gutierrez in the ninth. Romano was put back on the roster before the game when RHP Brooks Kriske was designated for assignment. Aroldis Chapman came in to finish.
UP NEXT
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (2-2, 2.70 ERA) is looking for his first win since Aug. 15.
Orioles: LHP John Means (5-7, 3.42 ERA) has allowed nine runs over his last 24.1 innings, but he has two losses and two no-decisions in those four starts.
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