Gregorius, Yanks Thump Orioles In Doubleheader Opener
NEW YORK (AP) — Didi Gregorius, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela and Cameron Maybin kept up a record home run barrage against Baltimore, powering the New York Yankees to an 8-5 victory in a day-night doubleheader opener Monday that extended their winning streak against the Orioles to 13.
New York has 56 home runs against the Orioles this year, eight more than the previous big league record for long balls against a team in a season.
The AL East-leading Yankees are 14-2 against Baltimore with three games left and have won 11 of their last 13 overall.
Gregorius' four RBIs raised his total to 35 in 47 games since returning from Tommy John surgery. Urshela was a triple shy of the cycle, lifting his average to .328.
Baltimore has allowed 245 homers, 13 from tying the season record set by Cincinnati pitchers in 2016. The Orioles have lost six of seven and are on pace for 108 defeats.
James Paxton (8-6) won a third straight start for the first time in two years despite allowing yet another first-inning run and home runs to Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander, both on 0-2 pitches.
Gabriel Ynoa (1-7) gave up seven runs — including all four homers — in six innings and dropped to 0-6 with a 7.01 ERA as a starter this year.
Ty Blach (0-0) was to be brought up to start the second game in his debut for the Orioles, who claimed him off waivers from San Francisco on Aug. 3.
The Yankees planned to use a reliever as an opener, trying for their fifth sweep in six doubleheaders this season to go along with a split.
Paxton allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, winning three starts in a row for the first time since he won seven straight for Seattle from July 2 to Aug. 4, 2017.
Hanser Alberto led off with an infield single and scored on Renato Núñez's sacrifice fly.
Paxton has a 10.71 ERA in the first inning, when he has allowed 25 of his 50 earned runs, and a 2.58 ERA over the rest of his outings.
He relied more on offspeed pitches with nine changeups — he threw seven total in his first 19 starts.
Gregorius hit a three-run homer in the first and Torres went deep two batters later — 11 of his 24 home runs this year have come against Baltimore.
Urshela hit an RBI double in the second and had a 461-foot drive in the fifth over the visitor's bullpen in left.
Maybin homered in the sixth on a drive that ricocheted off a fan and into the glove of a boy.
Baltimore scored twice off Luis Cessa in the eighth, when Zack Britton retired Stevie Wilkerson on a bases-loaded, inning-ending grounder, and Aroldis Chapman finished for his 32nd save in 37 chances.
STREAKS
New York had not beaten an opponent 13 straight times in a season since 1957 against the Kansas City Athletics. Baltimore had not lost 13 in a row to one team in a season since 1955 against Cleveland.
SAVAGES AT THE CASH REGISTER
"Savages in the Box," manager Aaron Boone's infamous comment on his batters during his July 18 ejection, is now on signage at the Yankee Stadium store and T-shirts for sale at $29.99.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: OF Dwight Smith Jr. (strained left calf) could start a minor league injury rehab assignment by the end of the week. ... OF DJ Stewart (concussion) could be activated Wednesday or Friday.
Yankees: 1B Luke Voit (out since July 30 with a core injury) sprinted and said he felt the best he has since May.
He plans to hit off a tee Tuesday. Voit also said offseason surgery was a possibility.
LHP CC Sabathia (inflamed right knee) is to throw a second bullpen Tuesday and is on pace to start against Cleveland this weekend.
RHP Dellin Betances (lat) threw off a mound for the first time since June 5, a 20-pitch bullpen that included 17 fastballs and three breaking balls. He plans to throw another bullpen Thursday.
RHP Luis Severino (lat) threw his second bullpen, three days after his first since spring training.
He is to throw another bullpen Thursday, then may face batters on Sunday. "I thought he looked really good," Boone said.
OF Aaron Hicks (strained right flexor) was to be evaluated Monday and could resume throwing and hitting this week.
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