BALTIMORE—The Orioles’ long Yankees nightmare is over. After 19 straight painful defeats, a club record, the Orioles scored four runs in the fifth inning to beat the Yankees, 6-3, in the second game of a doubleheader on Friday night at Camden Yards.
It was the Orioles’ first win over New York since March 31, 2019, and their first at home against the Yankees since July 11, 2018, ending an 18-game losing streak.
“We’ve had a tough time against them,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “They’re a good club. Game 1 was disappointing because we had opportunities there. We had opportunities in the past as well. We just hadn’t finished it, at least until tonight.”
The Orioles are 17-21.
Rookie leftfielder Ryan Mountcastle, who has been outstanding since his recall from the Bowie alternate site, drove in three runs, including the tying run. He had a two-run home run in the second, his third of the year, and first at home. His RBI single in the fifth keyed the four-run rally.
“I feel like I have something to prove,” said Mountcastle, who also had an infield hit. “I still feel like I can get a little better in some areas.”
Mountcastle is batting .356 after two weeks in the major leagues.
“I just love the athleticism he’s showing,” Hyde said. “He’s showed you the raw power. He’s playing a nice left field. He’s playing hungry, and it’s really, really fun to watch him, a young guy coming up with hype, playing with this much energy and this much confidence. It’s been a big boost.”
The Orioles lost the first game Friday to the Yankees, 6-5, in nine innings, and the defeat stood out because they lost rightfielder Anthony Santander to an oblique injury.
Santander was the only Oriole to play in each of the team’s first 36 games. DJ Stewart started in right field in Game 2.
After Mountcastle’s two-run homer in the second, the Yankees scored a run in the third.
Tyler Wade singled, moved to second on a wild pitch by starter Jorge López and to third on a throwing error by catcher Pedro Severino. Wade scored on an infield out by Thairo Estrada.
López gave up two more runs in the fourth when he walked the leadoff hitter, Brett Gardner and, with two outs, Miguel Andújar grounded to third baseman Rio Ruiz, whose throw to first was offline for a two-base error.
Erik Kratz, the Yankees’ 40-year-old journeyman catcher who has played for nine major league teams, singled to left to score Gardner and Andújar for a 3-2 New York lead.
López pitched five innings, allowing three unearned runs on three hits, and getting his first win since last September 12th when he was with Kansas City.
“That was big, big for us,” Hyde said. “We had very, very. limited options out of the bullpen.
“I thought threw the ball great. He really should have given up no runs.”
The Orioles, who left 11 on base and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position in the first game, were more productive in the second game.
With one out in the fifth, Stewart walked and ,after Renato Núñez struck out, Severino singled. Mountcastle singled to score Stewart against Clarke Schmidt, New York’s top draft choice in 2017 who was making his major league debut.
Ruiz’s opposite field single to left scored Severino, and Pat Valaika’s double to right scored Mountcastle and Ruiz, and gave the Orioles a 6-3 lead.
Mountcastle has been given the rookie treatment by his teammates — such as when they allowed him to take the field by himself in his first game — but he also has received their support.
“Most of the guys, a lot of the veteran guys, have taken me under their wing, giving advice,” Mountcastle said. “I know José Iglesias talked to me a bunch, Bryan Holaday, all these guys.”
César Valdez pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his first major league save.
Stewart, who is hitless in 16 at-bats this season, played for the first time since being recalled from the Bowie alternate site on Tuesday. He walked three times, struck out twice and was hit by a pitch. He has struck out 10 times and walked nine times.
“It’s going to come,” Hyde said. “He’s just got to continue to take, really, really good at-bats, and the results, if you’re working the process, the results will be there at the end.
“He’s going deep in the counts with a lot of his at-bats … He’s going to hit line drives and leave the ballpark sometime soon. Tonight, I thought he took great at-bats.”
Garcia pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits.
Coming up: The Orioles play the Yankees on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. Keegan Akin will pitch against Gerrit Cole. The Orioles haven’t named their starter on Sunday to face Masahiro Tanaka.
CINCINNATI—What happened? Cole Irvin ran his scoreless streak to 20 2/3 innings, allowing just two…
CINCINNATI---Cole Irvin wasn’t bothered by a lengthy rain delay. After the Orioles and Cincinnati Reds…
Chayce McDermott, Nolan Hoffman and Kaleb Ort combined on a no-hitter as Triple-A Norfolk defeated…
Nelson Cruz was only an Oriole for one season, 2014, but it was a wonderful…
Nick Markakis, the durable outfielder who won two Gold Glove awards in his nine seasons…
Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit…
View Comments
“He’s just got to continue to take really, really good at bats”, WTH, is he watching the same AB’s everyone else is, ridiculous...go O’s...
Standard Hyde comment. He says the same thing about "Crush" Davis.
Yeah don't know quite what to say about Stewart. Yes he does work the count and extend ABs but if it isn't a walk it's unsuccessful. Williams seems to fall into the "mental error prone" category we're trying to avoid. Either way they're both minimal fill-ins till Kjerstad/Diaz are ready. Speaking of Diaz it would be nice to see him get the call following Santander's oblique but I fear it will be Williams again. Speaking of Santander--he needs a "blow". Chasing pitches,pressing. My hero Valdez looking great but as David Cone(on Yankees broadcast) said O's can't over use him--teams will adjust. But he is a nice counter to bullpen flamethrowers.
I’m not here to defend Willams has it been proven that getting caught in a rundown and being throw out at the plate we’re his fault or was it a missed sign at home by the batter and a great throw. I have no idea. It’s really about he doesn’t deserve a extended look because he wasn’t a number one draft pick and DJ was but to say that someone who strikes out like DJ so far and is still hitless is having great at bats is ridiculous. Diaz should be here now and Mullins who also strikes out to much for a contact hitter is a great fourth outfielder and utility guy. The O’s could have won the first game if Herrera made contact. He could be another hitless guy.
Rich said it was his fault, never heard anything official, might’ve cost them the game, you would have thought someone would have asked Hyde WTH happened, easy question...go O’s...
I dunno guys, but I'm not sure we're not being a bit hard on Stewart. I certainly don't think I'm ready to give up on him just yet. Just like Sisco & Mullins, he hasn't had enough MLB at bats to make that call, although I'll give him less rope since he's never really had that great minor league season such as the the aforementioned two did. And yes, right or wrong, I'm leaning on his NCAA and high draft pedigree.
I would like to see a bit of Diaz, but considering we have the king of tanking for a GM, I doubt we'll get a look this year. Certainly Elias will want to gain one more year of control with the kid, most likely citing lack of AAA experience. In this case, I'm not sure I'd blame him.
Rich noted in today's article that Mountcastle "has been outstanding since his recall from the Bowie alternate site". Shoot .... he was outstanding before his recall as well. IMO, he should never have had to be recalled in the first place but instead should have, and deserved to be on this squad from day one this year.
Nice win last night, lets make it 2 in a row tonight.
I hate to disagree with you, Boog, but Mountcastle needs a lot more seasoning. He's hitting too many pitches.
I agree that you can disagree .... or something like that. Heck, most everybody disagrees with me anyway! But I do agree (?) with you and am afraid that he may wear himself out hitting so many. Agreed?
Totally!!!
We all can just agree to disagree..go O’s...
Damn Mountcastle not following protocol...go O’s...
If the O’s need a starter for Sunday I hope they bring up Kremer and give him a shot. Love your sarcasm Mr Miranda.
And I love your call for Kremer!
Just curious, and I know it’s WAY early, but If Mountcastle keeps raking like this, at what point does he enter the ROTY conversation? Would he even be eligible?
Steve, right now, Kyle Lewis of Seattle seems to have the inside track (.319, 8, 21 with a .919 OPS). Luis Robert
of Chicago also has some fine numbers. If Mouncastle has three more exceptional weeks (he's only played in 13 games),
and the others badly slump, perhaps, but it would be a long shot.
Can’t blame it on Rio, but you can Elias...lol...go O’s...
BanMo .... by my calculations, If Mountcastle does NOT pass 150 at bats (I think he would have to average 4.7 ABs per game for the remaining 22), and with only a possible 40 days on the active roster by Sept 31, I believe he would retain his rookie status for 2021.
Think about it ... I'm not sure .. but Ryan Mountcastle may have an outside shot to be the rookie of the year for 2 consecutive seasons?!?
Mind blown.
Are there any new rules or stipulations for the craziness of 2020 regarding this...a great question for Rich for next weeks bag of questions...go O’s...
I sure hope not!
“I still feel like I can get a little better in some areas.” RM, if I may, I’d like to offer one small bit of free advice to you. That had better be your attitude every day of your hopefully long, successful career. As to the W against the Yanks last night, I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the majority of the impact players in the game, Lopez, Valdez, Mountcastle and Valaika were not on the team last season and don’t have the scar tissue so many of the others do. To them it was just another W. I gotta say, Lopez has far exceeded any expectations I had of him.