Bronx Bombed: Greg Bird grand slam lifts Yankees over Orioles, 9-0

Series victories against the Yankees are sweet no matter how dark the Orioles’ seasons may be. The O’s had an opportunity to take three games out of four tonight, but the Bronx Bombers lived up to their nickname and beat the Orioles 9-0.

In his second start off the disabled list, Dylan Bundy (6-9) struggled again and was done in by a disastrous third inning. He allowed five runs, five hits and four walks in four innings of work. Since injuring his ankle, Bundy has allowed eleven runs in 7.1 innings. This is... not good. However, Jim Palmer noted on MASN’s broadcast that his stuff looked a lot better tonight than in Minnesota last weekend.

Meanwhile, Sonny Gray and the 5.85 ERA he entered the game with dominated Baltimore’s offense. He picked up his sixth win of the season after scattering three hits over six innings. Eight Orioles were strikeout victims of his. He is now 3-0 with an ERA of 2.00 against the Orioles this season. His ERA against everybody else is 6.32.

After being retired in order in the first inning, the O’s had a scoring chance in the second. Jonathan Schoop doubled with one down. Chris Davis walked and both runners moved up on a passed ball. Danny Valencia struck out when he could have plated a run by simply putting the ball in play. Joey Rickard grounded out and the rally was foiled.

Bundy worked around a walk in each of the first and second innings. He could not work around a one-out walk in the third inning. After Brett Gardner received the free pass, Aaron Judge singled to put runners on the corners with one down. The best possible scenario for that situation then happened: a comebacker to the mound. But Bundy opted to force the runner at third into a run down rather than attempt the 1-6-3 double play. We can’t assume that the double play would have been turned, but it would have ended the inning. The lead runner was retired but the inning continued.

Bundy got Giancarlo Stanton in an 0-2 hole before allowing a ground ball to the left side. Tim Beckham went into a dive but the ball deflected off his glove into the outfield, allowing the first run of the game to score. If only there was a Platinum Glove award-winning third baseman on the roster who could have, at least, kept the ball in the infield. After Aaron Hicks walked to load the bases, Bundy and Greg Bird engaged in an epic battle. Bird won, blasting a grand slam off of the right field foul poul. Just like that, the O’s were in a 5-0 hole.

Bundy was sent back to the mound in the fourth inning despite throwing 78 pitches in three innings. An Austin Romine single and Tyler Wade double to lead off the inning put Bundy back in hot water. But he beared down and got two shallow fly balls and a ground out to get out of the inning. His day was done after four innings and 91 pitches.

How would Sonny Gray respond after being given a lead? Very well. Orioles pitchers should take note. He did not allow a base runner in innings three, four, and five. The O’s had a scoring opportunity in the sixth, when Caleb Joseph singled and Manny Machado rung a double off the wall. But with two outs, Mark Trumbo feebly struck out.

Mike Wright replaced Bundy in the fifth inning and pitched around two singles. He allowed Tyler Wade’s first career home run, making the score 6-0 Yankees, and was removed after walking Judge. His final line was one run in 1.1 innings, allowing three hits and one walk.

Jhan Marinez relieved Wright and made his Orioles debut. He stranded Wright’s runner in the sixth and allowed a home run in the seventh. He appeared to run out of gas in the eighth. After striking out Judge, he allowed two base runners and was pulled for Donnie Hart. Marinez allowed two runs but showed off his mid-90’s fastball and nice slider. Hart got out of the eighth allowing one of Marinez’s runners to score and the O’s were down 8-0.

Hart stayed on for the ninth and looked good against lefties. (Great news!) But he didn’t look good against righties. After a single and a walk, Giancarlo Staunton increased the Yankee lead to 9-0 with a single up the middle.

Offensively, the Orioles couldn’t get back into the game after Gray left. A.J. Cole retired the side in order in the seventh. Joey Rickard and Caleb Joseph led off the eighth with singles against him as the O’s tried to break the shutout. They advanced on a Tim Beckham swinging bunt, but Adam Jones and Machado couldn’t get their club on the board.

Trumbo led off the ninth against Chasen Shreve with a bullet up the middle but was robbed by Didi Gregorius. Schoop and Davis were retired to end the game and complete the Yankee shutout.

The O’s will look to get back in the win column tomorrow on what was supposed to be a day off. The Phillies will come to Camden Yards to make up a game that was rained out back in May. Kevin Gausman (4-6, 4.11) will take on Nick Pivetta (5-7, 4.62) at 6:05.