Anthony Santander blasted a solo home run from both sides of the plate but the rest of the lineup managed just one hit against the Yankees.
Kyle Bradish did his best to replicate last week’s 11 strikeout performance by striking out the side in the first inning against New York. Unfortunately, it took him 30 pitches to complete the task. The Yankees took a long look at Bradish and made him pay the second time through the lineup in a 6-2 victory at Camden Yards.
Bradish struck out D.J. Lemahieu to start the game but issued a free pass to Josh Donaldson. The rookie rebounded by striking out Anthony Rizzo but walked Giancarlo Stanton to put two on base. The 3-2 pitch to Stanton appeared to catch the corner but the slugger trotted to first base anyway.
Gleyber Torres loaded the bases with an infield single, but Bradish ended the threat with a 3-2 slider to Joey Gallo. All three outs came via a called third strike.
Bradish recovered with a six-pitch second inning, but Stanton go the Yanks on the board in the third. Stanton laced a two-out double to left field that scored Rizzo, but Stanton ran into the third out at third base.
The game-breaker came in the fourth inning after singles by Gleyber Torres and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Jose Trevino stepped up and line a three-run home run off the foul pole in right field. Ryan McKenna made a nice sliding catch in foul territory to end the inning but the damage had been done.
Anthony Santander got the Birds on the board with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Santander golfed a low breaking ball over the out-of-town scoreboard for his first home run at Camden Yards this season. Unfortunately, that was all the offense could muster against the Yankees’ starting pitcher.
The blast marked the Orioles only hit off Luis Severino. Severino tossed six innings, struck out seven and walked two batters to pick up his third win of the season. Bradish took the loss after allowing eight hits, four runs, three walks and six strikeouts.
Santander the rest of Baltimore’s offense with another homer in the ninth inning. The blast came from the opposite side of the plate against New York reliever Aroldis Chapman but also occurred with nobody on base. There’s something to be said about trade value, but that’s a little depressing after a loss to the Yankees.
New York added some insurance with back-to-back jacks off Felix Bautista in the ninth. Donaldson turned around a fastball and Rizzo took advantage of a week slider by the rookie. It should not come as a surprise that the Yankees used the longball. New York leads the league with 52 homers this season.
The Orioles certainly could have used Austin Hays, Ryan Mountcastle or Jorge Mateo tonight. Rougned Odor singled in the seventh to provide Baltimore’s only other hit in the contest.
Keegan Akin impressed with 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Akin allowed just one hit, one walk, and struck out Gallo, Lemahieu and Kiner-Falefa.
It would have been nice if Trevino’s shot hooked foul, but the Orioles did not have the fire power to compete with New York tonight. Donaldson equaled Baltimore’s total with three hits, while Trevino and Torres also turned in multi-hit efforts.
The most entertaining moment, outside of Santander’s two homers, came when the MASN broadcast captured a young fan tossing a souvenir back onto the field. Kevin Brown and Ben McDonald provided expert level commentary of the event and the kid eventually received another baseball.
Unfortunately, the Yankees are not going to surrender a victory quite as easily. The Orioles will face Jameson Taillon tomorrow with Spenser Watkins taking the ball for the O’s.