The Baltimore Orioles secured their second consecutive playoff spot by defeating the New York Yankees 5-3 on Tuesday night, despite Aaron Judge hitting his league-leading 56th home run.
With this win, combined with Minnesota’s loss to Miami, the injury-plagued Orioles ensured at least a wild card in the American League.
“Last year, winning the American League East was such a great accomplishment for us, and expectations were much lower,” said general manager Mike Elias. “This year, we had higher expectations and made several moves to improve our chances. Today feels like a relief.”
Anthony Santander hit his 44th home run, while Ramón Urías and Colton Cowser also homered for Baltimore (87-80), bringing them within five games of the AL East-leading Yankees (92-65) with five games remaining.
The win allowed the Orioles to clinch the season series against the Yankees, but to take the division title, they would need to win all five remaining games while the Yankees lose all five.
New York, which secured a playoff spot last week, can clinch the AL East with just one more win. “We didn’t get it done today, but we have a chance to do it tomorrow,” Judge said.
Baltimore had struggled recently, losing seven of their last ten games.
Santander hit a home run in the sixth inning against Clarke Schmidt (5-5), sending the ball off the right-field foul pole. Set to become a free agent after the World Series, Santander has achieved career highs in home runs and RBIs (100).
Urías extended the lead to 4-1 with a home run against Tim Mayza to start the seventh inning.
Gleyber Torres hit a two-out RBI double, and Juan Soto added a run-scoring single against Yennier Cano, bringing the score to 4-3.
However, when Soto tried to advance to second on Santander’s throw home from right field, Torres got caught between third base and home plate and was tagged out, which stopped Judge from batting with two runners on base.
“I just tried to protect Soto,” Torres said. “I feel like I have to be a little more aggressive if I’m going to make that decision.”
Torres had three hits and is now batting .295 since the All-Star break, an improvement from .231 in the first half.
“He does make some mistakes on base,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “On the bases, he’s cleaned it up a lot compared to last year and the year before when he got himself into trouble.
I think he’s toned down some of the aggressiveness, but tonight was about protecting a runner, too. But, again, it’s got to be bluff or commit fully.” Colton Cowser hit a home run off Ian Hamilton in the eighth inning.
Dean Kremer (8-10) gave up one run and three hits in five innings. Seranthony Domínguez, the seventh pitcher for Baltimore, got two outs for his 11th save in 13 chances.
Schmidt allowed three runs and four hits in five-plus innings. Heston Kjerstad’s RBI grounder in the second inning and Ryan O’Hearn’s run-scoring single in the fourth after a wild pitch by Schmidt gave Baltimore a 2-0 lead.
Judge homered in the bottom half, hitting a high ball to left field.
Knicks player Josh Hart, who is a great nephew of former Yankees catcher Elston Howard, threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and former New York center fielder Bernie Williams, a celebrated guitarist in his second career, played the national anthem.
