Aaron Judge hit a game-tying homer and Anthony Volpe had his first career walk-off as the Yankees came back to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 6-5, on Tuesday night in The Bronx.
Here are some takeaways…
– Gerrit Cole came into Tuesday’s game two strikeouts away from 2000 for his career, but he’ll have a hard time picking it up early. After getting two quick pop outs, Cole walked away Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle after leading the count. Adam Frazier lined up a 2-2 slider to Aaron Judge, who reached for the ball but it caught the edge of the reigning MVP’s glove. Cole limited the damage to two runs, getting a lineout to end the top half of the first after 27 pitches.
The YES broadcast showed Cole looking at the thumb of his throwing hand pregame, which could be the reason. However, he would bounce back in the second inning, going 1-2-3 innings with two strikeouts, including the 2000th of his career.
Cole will fire off a pair of solo shots (Cedric Mullins, Gunnar Henderson) in this one, but he didn’t make it out of the sixth inning after giving up back-to-back singles after the Yankees tied the game at 4-4. Ron Marinaccio came in relief and after a strikeout, gave up an infield single. A fielder’s choice allowed the Orioles to take a 5-4 lead. After a walk to load the bases, Marinaccio got Mullins to fly out to end the threat.
Cole’s final line: 5+ IP (99 pitches/63 strikes), six hits, five runs, three walks, two strikeouts.
-The Yankees offense is guarded by the Orioles starter Kyle Bradish it’s still early. Except a Harrison Bader solo shot in the fourth, the Yankees couldn’t get the big hit. However, after back-to-back singles by Oswaldo Cabrera and Gleyber Torres to lead, Anthony Rizzo Judge’s lineout followed with a double to plate one and cut the deficit to 4-2. DJ LeMahieu singled in another run, and Bader drove in the tying run on a sac fly.
New York had a chance to tie the game in the seventh with Baltimore’s stud reliever, Yennier Cano on the mound. They get men in corners with one when LeMahieu tries to commit suicide. The first attempt was fouled, but the second bunt went straight to Cano who deflected it to get Torres. Bader would pop out to end the Yankee threat. The Yankees have had seven base-running outs at home this season, tied with the A’s for third-most in MLB — behind the Rangers and Pirates who both have nine.
– Down 5-4 in the ninth inning, and at the top of the lineup at the plate, Torres started with a strikeout. Judge, down 0-2, launched a splitter over the plate into the left field seats to tie the game at 5-5.
Michael King, who was working a ninth shutout, had a clean 10th inning to give the Yankees a chance to win it. Bader went into pinch-running Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the third with a groundout, and then an intentional walk on Willie Calhoun, Volpe hit a sac fly to score the winning run. Volpe went 0-for-4 but had the first walk-off of his career.
– Tuesday was Judge’s first game since Saturday, and the first since he won AL Player of the Week honors in which he hit .500. with a .611 OBP, five homers, and 11 RBI. However, the Orioles held Judge to a ninth inning homer. The reigning AL MVP finished 1-for-4 with a walk in the game.
Highlights
What’s next?
The Yankees continue their three-game series with the Orioles on Wednesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:06 pm at The Stadium.
Nestor Cortes looks to keep the Yankees rolling if he counters Tyler Wells.
