Orioles best Cole, keep the good times rolling in 6-4 victory

The Orioles recalled three right-handed relievers prior to tonight’s game against the Yankees. Baltimore needed fresh arms after the bullpen went the distance in an extra-inning win over the Rays, but they really needed inning-eater Jordan Lyles to live up to his name.

The 31-year-old did just that.

Lyles tossed a season-high 117 pitches, recorded the first two outs of the seventh inning, and even successfully shrugged off Brandon Hyde the first time he attempted to make a pitching change. The night ended with Lyles picking up his third win of the season and Baltimore only using two relievers after sending seven pitchers to the mound on Sunday.

Baltimore utilized a four-run third inning to claim an early lead, but Aaron Judge kept the Yankees in the game with his league-leading 16th and 17th home runs of the season. Baltimore relied on a pair of unlikely heroes for their final two runs of the evening.

Ramón Urías contributed a clutch, opposite-field home run in the sixth inning that gave the Birds the lead for good. The ball traveled a projected distance of 364 feet and would have only been a home run in 15/30 parks, but it cleared the wall tonight. Sweet stadium @Yankees.

Robinson Chirinos hit a sacrifice fly to provide some insurance in the top of the ninth and Baltimore defeated Gerrit Cole and the Yankees 6-4.

Baltimore initially claimed the lead with a four-run third inning off Cole. Urías started the party with a leadoff double, moved up on a wild pitch, and scored easily after a double by Robinson Chirinos. Chirinos moved to third on an opposite field single by Cedric Mullins, and Mullins easily stole second to put two runners in scoring position for Austin Hays.

Hays delivered with a base hit up the middle to provide Baltimore its first lead of the game. Hays advanced to third on a single by Trey Mancini, and Ryan Mountcastle earned an RBI by hustling down the line to avoid an inning-ending double play after grounding a ball to third.

The offensive outburst was complemented by an appearance in the MASN booth by John Means. The O’s ace is out for the season after undergoing successful Tommy John surgery, but he blended quality commentary, genuine cheers and even a few clubhouse anecdotes alongside Kevin Brown and Jim Palmer.

Unfortunately, the good times did not go uninterrupted. Judge made Lyles pay again, this time with a man on, and used his second home run of the evening to even the score at four. The long ball represented the pivotal moment where a last place team usually begins to fold. Not tonight.

Urías punched the ball over the short porch in right to reclaim the lead for good, and Chirinos provided the always welcome insurance run. Lyles delivered a big time shutdown inning in the sixth and recorded the first two outs in the seventh.

O’s skipper Brandon Hyde came to take the ball from Lyles, but the veteran declined to cooperate. Hyde allowed Lyles to face Anthony Rizzo for a fourth time, but the former Cub battled before punching a two-strike pitch over third base for a single. Félix Bautista replaced Lyles and worked around Judge before striking out Giancarlo Stanton to end the inning.

Bautista delivered a clean eighth inning and passed the baton to Jorge López. López walked the leadoff batter to ensure the tying run would come to the plate in the ninth, but pinch hitter DJ LeMahieu bounced into a fielder’s choice for the first out. López generated another ground ball from Marwin Gonzalez and this time Baltimore turned two to clinch the two-run victory.

The Yankees jumped out to a two run lead with runs in the first and second inning. Judge walloped his first home run into the Orioles bullpen to get New York on the board. Baltimore set the Yankees up for success in the second with a leadoff walk and an error that wiped away a fielder’s choice.

Jose Trevino gave the Yankees a two-run lead with a single up the middle, but Lyles used a strikeout and a 1-6-3 double play to avoid a crooked number. The inning served as the latest reminder that it is fun to be an Orioles fan right now.

During a week where all the attention has been placed on Adley Rutschman, Chirinos shined with an RBI double and sacrifice fly. Rutschman finished 0-for-4 on the night but did battle a few times against Cole. Brandon Hyde said Rutschman would catch the final two games of the series after serving as the designated hitter tonight.

Cole took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits. The former number one pick struck out 11 batters, but the Orioles made enough hard contact to best the Yankee’s ace tonight.

Just like that, the Orioles will have an opportunity to win another series tomorrow with Bruce Zimmermann on the mound.