BALTIMORE — Anthony Santander lined a three-run homer in the ninth inning off Lucas Luetge and the Baltimore Orioles avoided a four-game sweep by beating the Yankees, 9-6, on Thursday.
“I put myself in the pitcher’s shoes in that situation,” Santander said through a translator. “Knowing that he wanted to come in, trying to jam me, trying to make me hit a soft grounder to force a double play. I was really able to get my hands in and focus on that. I hit the ball really well.”
New York lost for just the second time in 11 games and has a major-league best record of 28-10. The Yankees fell to 18-1 when scoring five runs or more this season.
The Yankees were down to their last out in the ninth when D.J. LeMahieu hit an R.B.I. single off closer Jorge Lopez that tied it at 6.
The Orioles answered when Austin Hays reached on a throwing error by third baseman Josh Donaldson, who had pinch-hit in the top half of the inning. One out later, Trey Mancini singled and Santander followed with a drive to left field for his seventh homer of the season.
When Santander connected, it had plenty of distance — the only question was whether it would be fair or foul, and it easily was inside the pole at Camden Yards.
“Last two nights, we lost two one-run games,” Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde said. “I thought today was some of our better at-bats of the season.”
Giancarlo Stanton homered over the left-field wall, which was moved back 26 ½ feet since last year and was called “a travesty” by Yankees slugger Aaron Judge this series. Stanton became the first Orioles opponent to clear that fence. He has 11 home runs and he leads the league with 35 R.B.I.
Félix Bautista (1-1) picked up the win for the Orioles.
The Yankees still finished their eight-game road trip 6-2.
“Any time you go out on the road and throw a 6-2 out there, you’ll take that,” Manager Aaron Boone said. “Look forward to being back at Yankee Stadium.”
Source: NY Times