Birds blasted again, fall three games out of first
NEW YORK — A new-look New York Yankees lineup high on energy and an Orioles pitching staff high on mistakes conspired for another lopsided loss for Baltimore in the Bronx on Saturday.
Rookie Dylan Bundy made it through just four innings and the relief woes continued in a 13-5 loss before an announced 38,843 at Yankee Stadium.
“It’s just not going for us,” said third baseman Manny Machado, who had two hits. “They’re getting hits, clean hits, just outhitting us. They’re doing what they’re going to do, and we’re not. Nothing’s falling for us. No excuses.”
The Orioles (70-59) fell three games out of first in the American League East with their third straight loss, as the Toronto Blue Jays came back for an 8-7 win over the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees (67-61) pulled within 21⁄2 games of the third-place Orioles, who lead the race for the second wild-card berth by one game.
Bundy (7-5), coming off a strong start Monday night against the Washington Nationals, was done in by walks in the first inning and four straight two-out hits in the third. It was 4-2 Yankees when rookie Gary Sanchez hit a high-and-away fastball into the right-field seats to make it 5-2 in the fourth.
“He’s pitched well, and just could never really get into that rhythm,” manager Buck Showalter said of Bundy. “Stuff-wise, he’s fine. A good curveball — didn’t throw it quite as much as he could have. The changeup elevated a couple times, and they found some hits and some bleachers, too.”
The Orioles pulled within a run on back-to-back homers by Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis in the fifth, but T.J. McFarland allowed a pair of two-run homers in the bottom half. McFarland was meant to save the rest of the bullpen from another taxing day, but Mychal Givens, Donnie Hart and Brad Brach also pitched in the game. McFarland allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning. Givens allowed three runs while recording one out, and Brach allowed a run in11⁄3 innings. Home run milestones: Davis hit two home runs, the first of which gave the Orioles 200 in their 129th game of the season, making this team the second-fastest in club history to hit 200. The 1996 Orioles did it in 126 games. Only four teams have hit 200 faster.
Trumbo’s home run was his major leagueleading 39th. Davis has eight homers in his past 11 games. More fun with replay: Before the game, Showalter said he could remember eight or nine replay decisions that were puzzling, and he might add another Saturday.
Umpire Ron Kulpa ruled catcher Matt Wieters tagged Didi Gregorius before he touched the plate as the Yankees attempted a double steal of second and home. Replay officials saw through a cloud of dust to determine Wieters did not make the tag. Instead of the third inning ending tied at 2, the Yankees took a lead they never relinquished.