Didi Gregorious (3run HR), Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela and Camron Maybin all homered, while James Paxton and the Yankees bullpen did enough to lock down the Yankees victory, as they defeated the Baltimore Orioles 8-5 in game 1 of a Doubleheader on Monday (8/12) in the Bronx, NY.
The win is the Yankees 13th straight over Baltimore this season (14th In 2019) and it lowers their magic number to clinch the AL East down to 35.
The Yankees got to O’s starter Gabriel Ynoa early and often, as Didi Gregorious got the HR party started in the 1st, as he mashed a 3run shot (In response to a Renato Nunez sac fly in the top of the 1st) to give the Yankees an early 3-1 lead.
Later in the inning, Orioles-killer Gleyber Torres went deep to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead after 1.
The Yankees would continue to pour it on, as the red-hot Gio Urshela got into the fun with an RBI double in the 3rd and a HR in the 5th as the Yankees led 6-2 after 5 innings of play.
As for the Yankees pitching, the Orioles hitters made Yankees starter James Paxton earn his quality start, as Paxton went 6 innings of 3run ball (2Hrs. One to Trey Mancini in the 3rd and Anthony Santander in the 6th) while also allowing 5 hits with 7 strikeouts on 104 pitches.
The bullpen bridge to Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was a little rocky, as after Tommy Kahlene worked a scoreless 7th, Luis Cessa lost his command and left the bases loaded with one out in the 8th having already allowed a run. But Zack Brittion came in and though he walked in a run, he got out of it with no further trouble preserving the Yankees lead.
The Yankees bats tacked on some more runs with a Camron Maybin HR in the 6th and a Didi sac fly in the 7th for his 4th RBI of the game that at the time, gave the Yankees a commanding 8-3 lead before the O’s 2run 8th.
In the 9th with his team up 8-5, Aroldis Chapman came on and locked down the win as the Yankees took game 1 by that score and will now go for the Doubleheader Sweep in game 2.
MVP: Didi Gregorious
THOUGHTS:
It wasn’t pretty but I’ll take it! We once again mashed the O’s pitching today, nice gutsy job out of Paxton and way to close it out there Chapman! 3 up 3 down is a great way to end the ballgame if your on the winning side!
Let’s sweep these guys away in game 2!
Let’s go Yankees!!
FAN OPINIONS:
Eli Ruben:
Great start by Paxton today! I loved his resilience, as well as our bats. We kept mashing the O’s like we have done throughout the year. Cessa got me a little worried in the end with the bases loaded. But great job by Brittion and Chapman to lock it down!
Let’s do it again in game 2!
UP NEXT:
The Yankees (78-41) will go for the Doubleheader Sweep tonight in a “Battle of the Bullpens” as Chad Green will start it off for the Yankees against Ty Blach of the O’s who is making his first appearance In a Baltimore uniform after the Orioles got him from the San Francisco Giants.
Game time is 7:05PM.
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