In a thrilling matchup at Yankee Stadium, the Orioles initially dominated the game on Wednesday night. Gerrit Cole had a strong season debut but was pulled after 62 pitches in the fifth inning. With Aaron Judge on the bench due to a hand injury, the Yankees found themselves in a tough spot, trailing by three runs going into the bottom of the seventh.
However, the Yankees quickly turned things around when Giancarlo Stanton blasted a home run with two runners on base, bringing the score to a close 5-4. The Orioles threatened to extend their lead in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and only one out, but Alex Verdugo, playing center field, made a remarkable play to catch a deep fly ball, preventing any further runs.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees managed to tie the game when Anthony Volpe hit a leadoff double and Stanton followed up with a single off the struggling closer, Craig Kimbrel. The stage was set for a thrilling walk-off victory that would secure a three-game sweep in this crucial AL East showdown series.
The Yankees suffered a tough loss to the Orioles, with closer Clay Holmes struggling in the 10th inning. Despite Holmes’ strong start to the season, he gave up two runs in the extra frame, leading to the Orioles’ 7-6 victory.
Baltimore took the lead in the 10th inning with a tie-breaking single by Cedric Mullins, bringing in Anthony Santander. They extended their lead to 7-5 when a stolen base by Mullins and a throwing error by Yankees catcher Jose Trevino allowed another run to score.
Trevino, who had previously struggled with stolen bases, allowed four more steals in this game, including one on a pitchout. This comes after the Red Sox set a franchise record by stealing nine bases in ten attempts in their previous series.
On a positive note, Yankees pitcher Cole had a successful return from his rehab stint, pitching well in his first game back from elbow inflammation that he had experienced during spring training.
In the face of strong competition from the Yankees, who are considered the biggest challengers in their division and possibly the league this season, Cole showcased his impressive arsenal of pitches. With fastballs reaching speeds of up to 98 mph, as well as his slider, cutter, and curve, he managed to strike out five batters in just over four innings. He only allowed three hits and walked one.
After giving up a leadoff single to Mullins on the first pitch of the fifth inning, Cole decided to leave the game with the score tied at 1-1. Yankees reliever Ron Marinaccio took over but unfortunately gave up a two-run homer to Urias.
To extend their lead, the Orioles scored another run in the fifth inning, making it 4-1. They then added another run in the seventh, securing a comfortable four-run lead.