Yankees Rally From 8 Down To Top Orioles 14-11
NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees completed a stunning rally from an eight-run deficit, outslugging the Baltimore Orioles 14-11 on Friday night.
In a game of home run derby, Starlin Castro tied it with a two-run drive that capped a three-run burst in the ninth off Brad Brach. Then in the 10th, Holliday hit the eighth home run of the evening — five by the Yankees — with one out off Jayson Aquino (1-1).
"I was all nervous with Adam Jones out there," Holliday said of the Orioles' Gold Glove center fielder. "Just enough to get it over the fence."
Down 9-1 in the sixth, the Yankees pulled off their biggest comeback since overcoming a 9-0 gap to beat Boston 15-9 in 2012.
On the first true spring-like day in New York, the ball was flying. Featured were all kinds of monster shots — cleanup men Jacoby Ellsbury and Mark Trumbo connected for grand slams, and Yankees fan favorite Aaron Judge homered twice, including a drive tracked at 119.4 mph off the bat, the hardest-hit ball since Statcast began counting in 2015.
Manny Machado launched a 470-foot homer, the longest in the majors this year, and Welington Castro also homered for Baltimore.
Aroldis Chapman (1-0) pitched the 10th as the Yankees won their third straight and tied Baltimore at 14-7 for the AL East lead.
Ellsbury hit his 100th career home run and first slam, tagging Vidal Nuno and drawing New York to 11-8 in the seventh.
Brach had started the season with 12 scoreless innings before the Yankees got him. A leadoff walk and a double by Holliday set up Ellsbury's grounder for his fifth RBI, and Castro followed with a shot far into the left-field seats.
Machado, who began the day batting just .205 with three home runs, also hit a two-run double and singled against CC Sabathia.
Trumbo was stuck in a worse rut, an 0-for-25 slide dropping him to .185. After grounding a soft single, he hit his fourth career slam, measured at 459 feet by Statcast and putting the Orioles up by eight runs in the sixth.
Trumbo led the majors with 47 home runs last year. This season, his only previous homer had been a game-ending shot on opening day.
Judge lined a shot into the Baltimore bullpen in the fifth. In the sixth, he hit his ninth homer, a two-run homer that made it 9-4.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: LF Joey Rickard was activated from the 10-day disabled list after missing time with a sprained finger. He got his first two hits of the season, two-out singles on a tapper and a bunt that led to runs. ... RHP Chris Tillman (shoulder bursitis) joined the team at Yankee Stadium. He hasn't pitched this season and manager Buck Showalter said the club would see how Tillman is feeling after a workout.
Yankees: SS Didi Gregorius came off the disabled list after being sidelined by a strained right shoulder, an injury that occurred while playing for the Netherlands in last month's World Baseball Classic. The public address announcer greeted him with "Welcome Back!" when presenting the starting lineups. Gregorius doubled, singled and a couple of nice plays in the field. ... C Gary Sanchez (strained right biceps) is to start a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Baltimore is 4-0 in games started by RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0, 5.95) despite three shaky outings, including one against the Yankees.
Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda (2-1, 3.86) has allowed home runs in a career-high six straight starts dating to last season.
