NEW YORK—It’s hard to describe how utterly dominant the New York Yankees are over the Baltimore Orioles. There’s the talent difference, which manager Brandon Hyde elaborated on last week.
Then, there are the numbers, which are stark. In the season-opening series, the Orioles won two of three games at Yankee Stadium. The second of those wins came on March 31.
More than four months later, the Orioles are still waiting for another one.
The Yankees swept both ends of a day/night doubleheader with the Orioles on Monday, winning the first game, 8-5, and the second one, 11-8.
Gleyber Torres hit two home runs and drove in six runs. When Torres, who has hit 13 of his 26 homers against the Orioles, came to the plate in the eighth with two on and two out, Hyde made a choice that drew jeers from the crowd. He walked him intentionally.
Torres had hit a home run in the first game, and had already swatted one against Tom Eshelman in the sixth.
“He’s killed us all year,” Hyde said. “We are supposed to be making better pitches to him or not letting him beat us, and we continue to throw the ball to the middle part of the plate.
“First game fastball center cut, homer. Second game slider middle part of the plate, homer. And then Eshelman is trying to pitch around him and he does something and throws it right in the middle of the plate for another homer. So, I just had enough and put him on.
“…We’re not supposed to pitch to him anyway, or be careful with him, and instead of being careful with him we’re throwing the ball in the middle … I just didn’t want to see it anymore.”
The maneuver worked as Brett Gardner grounded out to second.
The Orioles have lost 14 straight to the Yankees. According to STATS, it’s the second longest losing streak to an opponent in any season.
Only in 1954, the franchise’s first season in Baltimore, did they lose more games, 17 straight to a single opponent, the Cleveland Indians.
Fortunately, for the Orioles, that record can’t be topped this season because only two games remain between the teams.
If the Orioles lose on Tuesday and Wednesday, they’ll go into 2020 with 16 consecutive losses, and on March 26, the Orioles open their new season with a series against New York at Camden Yards.
Hyde tried yet another new starter in the second game, left-hander Ty Blach, who was the 16th starter, 35th pitcher and 52nd player used by the Orioles.
Blach, who was claimed on waivers from San Francisco on August 3, had a modest record of major league success. On August 2, 2017, Blach threw a shutout against Philadelphia, and in 2016, won a National League Division Series game against the Chicago Cubs when Hyde was first base coach.
After parts of four seasons with the Giants, they cut ties with him last month, and the Orioles decided to give him a whirl.
He was in trouble in the first inning when he allowed singles to three of his first four hitters, and after Gardner tripled, the Orioles trailed, 3-0. Chance Sisco’s throwing error led to another run.
For a short time, the Orioles looked as if they had a chance. New York started Chad Green as its opener, and after he retired his first four Orioles, Joe Mantiply followed.
It was Mantiply’s first major league action in nearly three years when he had five appearances with Detroit, and he had a shaky third.
Hanser Alberto tripled and scored on Rio Ruiz’s infield out. Jonathan Villar singled, and Trey Mancini hit his 29th home run to draw the Orioles within 4-3.
Mancini homered in both games on Monday and has four home runs in seven games this season at Yankee Stadium.
Mike Ford homered with one out in the fourth, and after Aaron Judge walked and Gio Urshela singled to begin the fifth, Evan Phillips, who was recalled for the eighth time this season from Triple-A Norfolk, relieved Blach.
Phillips’ second pitch was hit for a home run by Torres, who added a three-run home run Eshelman in the sixth.
Torres’ 13 home runs set a record for most homers against an opponent in the divisional era, which began in 1969. He’s hardly the only Yankees hitter terrorizing the Orioles. They have 59 home runs against the Orioles.
“I thought I made some pretty good pitches,” Blach said. “They did a pretty good all night of staying disciplined. They didn’t really chase anything. They came up with guys on base and made good swings and found some holes.”
After the game, Phillips and Jimmy Yacabonis, who served as the 26th man, were returned to Norfolk.
“They’re good. Obviously, they’ve got a lot of good hitters over there,” Sisco said. “Definitely tough, but we have guys that are capable of doing it, so hopefully, we’ll see that tomorrow.”
After Mancini’s home run, Mantiply, who worked three innings and got the win, didn’t give up another hit, and Brady Lail, making his major league debut after eight seasons in the minor, recorded four outs.
Lail walked Jace Peterson to begin the seventh, and Sisco followed with a single. Alberto hit a three-run home run to make it 11-6.
In the ninth, Nestor Cortes gave up singles to Jace Peterson, Alberto and Stevie Wilkerson, loading the bases with one out. Rio Ruiz singled against Adam Ottavino, scoring Peterson and Alberto to make it 11-8.
Jonathan Villar struck out and Mancini flied to center, ending the long, unhappy day.
IronBirds no-hitter: Jake Lyons, James Ryan and Kyle Murphy combined to throw the first no-hitter in Aberdeen IronBirds history on Monday night. The IronBirds beat the Vermont Lake Monsters, 7-0.
It was the second no-hitter thrown in the Orioles’ organization this season. Bowie’s Michael Baumann pitched one on July 17.
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And the beat goes on ... Nashville or bust.
Good quote from Jose Altuve ( who was with the Astros when they were very bad) over the weekend: “You have to calm down and trust the process.” Elias and Mejdal know what they’re doing, as witnessed by the success of the O’s minor league teams and the progress of individual prospects.
Bring on the Lake Monsters!
The Lake Monsters would light up this staff ....
Let’s see we need Santander’s bat but he is not a CF, keep him at one of the corner spots. When is Cisco’s defense going to improve; you had the runner at third and instead he scores a run. Blach showed some potential but with his stuff location is paramount. There has been improvement this year and as I have said all year these guys play with heart and fight to the last out.
Evan Phillips relieves Blach,second pitch hit for a 3run homer. The season in a nutshell.
I generally don't have a complaint about our offense. Yes, there are times when Villar, Mancini and Santander aren't hitting but in general our offense is not too bad. However, I do get upset when our batters come up in crucial, runners in scoring position times and wind up TAKING a called third strike. Somehow, the finer points of baseball are missing from our offense.
Quietly, Hanser Alberto is having a great year. I'll bet more than one contender will regret not having picked him up. Reliable bats always ready to hit are invaluable. I hope the O's are getting a contract ready for him.
He’s arbitration eligible for the next 4 seasons. He’s not getting an extension but he’s not going anywhere unless it’s a trade.
Hanswr Alberto is under team control for three more seasons, Will.
This has nothing to do with yesterday’s losses but Tayler Scott has been the most disheartening. Guy has been next to unhittable in Norfolk and it’s been the polar opposite every time he comes up. I had hopes he could be a decent reliever for us but he can not get a major leaguer out. Really both Scott’s have been but Tanner has been around here long enough that I know his command was a mess already. Hopefully Harvey gets a shot up here in short order.
I would like to get another look at Tate.
Bad part, of this wasn’t the crazy ball era or we had avg pitching, we’re scoring enough runs to win games...go O’s...
Tigers 80 losses
Orioles 80 losses
Keep going............
REJOICE! Help is on the way! O's just recalled Shepherd Chandler. His minor league record this year, between Norfolk and Pawtucket, is one win and ten losses. ERA an impressive 7.22. AL hitters are likely quaking in their boots. Or maybe a new milestone in the lack of talent in this organization.
Not a one of the six pitchers used by the O’s yesterday should be pitching in a major league game!!!!! Just saying...
Unfortunately, we have a number of subpar 4A pitchers shuffled through the starting rotation. When they go up against excellent hitting teams they are simply overmatched. The Orioles better pitching prospects are still a year or two away.
It is starting to look very much like Cisco is a AAAA player. His days are likely numbered anyway with Severino hitting and their #1 pick only a year or so away (hopefully!!). Meanwhile, the Os coach up their pitchers like the Ravens coach up their wide receivers. Hopefully, both teams figure it out sooner rather than later.
Thanks for the info on Alberto's contract status, jbigie1 and Rich, His arbitration, if he finishes this season well,
could be very interesting.
Rich is correct. 3 more for Alberto. I had not realized he accrued that much service time before coming here. Nonetheless w 3 years of control we’ll be in no hurry to extend him. First year of arb he’ll be making somewhere around a million bucks. He’ll certainly be back.