The New York Yankees erased a five-run Baltimore Orioles lead to earn their third win when trailing after eight innings.
The New York Yankees are a team that has constantly bent norms in this young 2019 season. Monday night provided yet another bucking.
Trailing 6-1 after five innings, the Yankees earned nine runs over their final four frames to capture an improbable 10-7 road victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The last three tallies came from Gary Sanchez‘s three-run home run that broke a 7-7 tie.
?? COMEBACK COMPLETE! ??
Gary Sanchez's 3-run shot in the 9th wins it for the Yankees in Baltimore! pic.twitter.com/15D9jWxOn1
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 21, 2019
With the win, the Yankees (29-17) now enjoy a full game’s lead over the idle Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East race.
Opening a four-game set at Oriole Park in Camden Yards, the Yankees were forced into an early hole after J.A. Happ was shelled for six earned runs over 3.2 innings.
The biggest blows came in the third inning when Hanser Alberto and Renato Nunez each torched Happ for a solo home run. Alberto had a particularly strong day in the Baltimore lead-off spot, going 4-for-5 with three runs and two runs batted in.
.@elpotroalberto: A very good son. pic.twitter.com/CBlsWvh5uw
— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) May 21, 2019
In the early going, the lone offense the Yankees were able to muster came from a Gleyber Torres solo home run in the second inning. They wouldn’t threaten again until the sixth inning, the final frame for Orioles starter Andrew Cashner. A Sanchez single scored DJ LeMahieu, while Kendrys Morales‘ RBI groundout scored Aaron Hicks.
Baltimore got half of the runs back with Trey Mancini‘s RBI sacrifice fly. Mancini’s at-bat was allowed to continue when Luke Voit dropped a pop-up in foul territory.
It's not what you want from Luke Voit. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/M9o8ryenbe
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) May 21, 2019
The Yankee comeback truly got down to business in the seventh inning. When a LeMahieu single drove in Gio Urshela. Baltimore (15-32) began to play a role in their own demise, as Cameron Maybin scored on an egregious throwing error from Dennis Smith Jr.
Nonetheless, the Orioles still held a 7-5 lead, one they hoped to preserve with Mychal Givens on the mound. Givens (L, 0-1) had not given up an earned run in May, but that was no issue for Torres, who cut into the lead further with another solo homer. The latter blast was Torres’ eighth home run against Baltimore this season. That mark is the league-high for a single player’s home run tally against a single opponent, alongside Christian Yelich‘s eight blasts against St. Louis.
You'll want the sound on for this.
Baltimore's announcers have had enough of Gleyber Torres' raking. ? pic.twitter.com/77Z39oU3fM
— Cut4 (@Cut4) May 21, 2019
Gleyber Torres has gone yard AGAIN.
He just can't stop homering off of Baltimore Orioles pitchers.
Watch: https://t.co/SLG5wD1Fao pic.twitter.com/redDDKPUgb
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 21, 2019
Zack Britton (W, 2-0) got into trouble in the bottom of the eighth, placing runners at the corners with two outs. A Pedro Severino fielder’s choice got him out of the frame and set up one of the most dramatic wins of the season.
Brett Gardner led the inning off with a single, and Maybin followed it up with a duplicate. Another bad throw from Smith allowed the pair to advance a base each. Gardner eventually got home through a Hicks sacrifice fly. Voit nearly ended the inning on a foul-out, but the catcher Severino let the ball fall to continue the session. After Voit worked a walk, Sanchez worked his magic for his 13th home run of the year.
To cap things off, Aroldis Chapman survived a pair of Baltimore baserunners to lock down his 12th save of the year. The Yankees have now won three games when trailing after eight innings.
The four-game set continues against Baltimore on Tuesday night (7:05 p.m. ET, YES). New York will send out Domingo German (8-1, 2.50 ERA) while Baltimore counters with David Hess (1-5, 5.58 ERA).
