The Baltimore Orioles opened a three-game set at Yankee Stadium this evening, their playoff chances hanging by a thread. The Birds’ elimination number was five, with six games to go. Talk about a must win, and in a tough spot (against New York) at that. Jordan Lyles got the start, and was outstanding. Lyles’ line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K.
Lyles was dealing early, and in turn the Orioles got on the board early. Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI-single in the first inning gave the O’s a 1-0 lead. This before Lyles even took the field.
But when he did take the field, he didn’t disappoint. NY’s Aaron Judge of course was looking to hit his 62nd homer of the season – an American League record. It wasn’t going to happen on this night. Oriole pitching held Judge to a base hit.
New York’s Cabrera however would even there score at one in the fifth. His solo homer got New York on the board, and evened the score. However Lyles pitched out of it, limiting the damage to one run.
And one inning later, the Orioles got the lead back. Adley Rutschman would score on a wild pitch (by former Oriole Zach Britton, no less), and they suddenly had the lead back at 2-1. The O’s turned to Felix Bautista for a six-out save. However Bautista seemed to injure his leg in the last of the eighth…
…promoting Brandon Hyde to turn to DL Hall to close out the ninth inning. And close New York out here did, sending them down 1-2-3. And snapping a modest losing streak in the process.
The series continues tomorrow at Yankee Stadium. Austin Voth gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Nestor Cortes. Game time is set for just after 7 PM,
Birdland Crush 