Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Home runs from Aaron Judge and Clint Frazier help the New York Yankees avoid a brutal loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

  • New York Yankees: 6
  • Baltimore Orioles: 4
  • Winning Pitcher: Adam Ottavino (1-0)(BS, 1)
  • Losing Pitcher: Miguel Castro (0-1)(BS, 1)
  • Save: Aroldis Chapman (S, 2)
  • AL, Final, Box Score
  • Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

The sky was falling for a moment in Baltimore. Careless baserunning, sloppy fielding, and relying too much on the long ball were going to doom the New York Yankees yet again.

J.A. Happ wasn’t spectacular, but he put the Yankees in a position to win. He was pulled after 4.1 innings in favor of Jonathan Holder. The reliever escaped with baserunners in the fifth and threw a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. But almost inexplicably, manager Aaron Boone left Holder in to start the seventh.

He hit the first batter he faced and gave up a single to the next. Ottavino came in to try and limit the damage. But after the inning was over, the Yanks were down 4-3 and staring down an unfortunate loss.

Until Clint Frazier took a hanging breaking ball deep to put the Yanks up 6-4 and seal the game. Ironically enough, the long ball saved the Bronx Bombers on Saturday night. Aaron Judge launched his first two home runs of the season off Dylan Bundy, and in part, ensuring the starter would not be long for this game.

DJ LeMahieu continues to impress. He slashed a single into right field right before Frazier’s three-run jack and finished the night 3-for-4. Despite his uncertain role at the beginning of the season, but he has proved himself indispensable thus far.

Make no mistake, Frazier saved the day for Boone who mismanaged his bullpen. Things are far from perfect for the Yankees right now, but this isn’t the time to panic.

New York’s toughest competition, the Boston Red Sox, lost their third-straight game and dropped to 2-8. It’s far too early in the year to pay any attention to the standings, but it’s making the Yankees disappointing early play more palatable.

Aroldis Chapman closed it out in the ninth despite allowing the tying run to get an at-bat. But at the end of the season, they don’t ask you how they ask you how many. A win is the same even if it’s a little ugly.

The Yankees will sweep the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Domingo German (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the hill against David Hess (1-0, 0.00 ERA). German is looking to build on an excellent first start, but it will be a tough battle against Baltimore’s righty hurler. Hess threw 6.1 hitless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays before being pulled by his manager.


NY/NJ hoops reporter (NBA/NCAA) & sports betting writer for XL Media. Never had the makings of a varsity athlete.