O’s bounce back for win after blowing lead

O’s take no-hitter into 7th, then rally by Yanks

NEW YORK — The Orioles lost their combined no-hit bid in the seventh inning, then their lead in the eighth. They won anyway.

After an infield single spoiled their shot at history and New York Yankees slugger Joey Gallo hit a game-tying two-run home run, Pedro Severino’s sacrifice fly off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth gave Baltimore a series-evening 4-3 victory on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

In Sunday’s series finale, the Orioles (42-92) will have a chance to earn their first series victory at Yankee Stadium since Brandon Hyde’s opening series as their manager in 2019.

Chris Ellis, Tanner Scott and Marcos Diplán combined to get Baltimore within eight outs of what would have been its second no-hitter of the season, joining John

Means historic performance against the Seattle Mariners on May 5. But the countdown did not reach seven, with Gleyber Torres reaching on a groundball up the middle that was ruled an infield single after rookie second baseman Jahmai Jones twice failed to cleanly field it while ranging to his right. Jones had opened the inning with a fielding error.

“I think I should make that play,” said Jones, who was replaced defensively the next inning. “I felt like I got to it with enough time. It would’ve been a tough play to either flip to [shortstop Jorge] Mateo or try to reach across and throw him out, but I feel like anytime I get my glove on a ball, I should make a play no matter where it is.”

The Yankees’ first hit plated their first

run, spoiling the shutout bid Ellis started. A 28-year-old right-hander in his seventh organization after being claimed on waivers last month, Ellis continued his transformation from spot starter to potential rotation fixture with five no-hit innings. He needed a career-high 92 pitches to reach that point, and despite a large spike in innings after losing the 2020 season to the coronavirus pandemic, he was not shy about feeling great physically with a month left in this campaign.

“Man, I’m in The Show, dude,” Ellis said. “I’m on full-go right now. My arm’s irrelevant. How I feel is whatever. I feel great, man. Give me the ball. Let me go out there and [chuck] it.”

He labored to complete the fifth, with a pair of walks spiking his pitch count, but Hyde allowed him to face DJ LeMahieu as the Orioles clung to what was then a one-run lead. In a full count, LeMaheiu, the only player to win a batting title in each league, popped up to Jones at second.

“It was really cool to have a big league manager trust you to go out there,” Ellis said.“Itwasa1-0ballgamewithtwoguyson, against the Yankees, one of the best hitters in baseball up. For me, for a pitcher, it’s nice when the manager puts confidence in you out there, and you make that pitch and try to make both of you guys look good.”

In three starts for Baltimore, Ellis has a 2.84ERA.FacingplayoffcontendersToronto andNewYorkoverhispasttwooutings,he’s allowed two hits in 9 innings.

“What can you say about five hitless innings?” Hyde said. “That was masterful.”

Left-handerTannerScottfollowedwitha cleansixthagainstthemiddleoftheYankees’ order, retiring Gallo, Aaron Judge and GiancarloStantoninorder.Withleft-handed hitters Anthony Rizzo and Brett Gardner due up, Scott returned for the seventh, but Jones’errorandawalkofGardnerprompted manager Brandon Hyde to call on Marcos Diplán with two on and no outs.

A right-hander who went seven outings intohiscareerbeforeallowinganearnedrun, Diplán largely did his job Saturday, getting a flyout and three groundballs. But two of them became hits, with LeMahieu recording New York’s second knock with a swinging-bunt single to open the eighth. With no otherlate-inningleftyavailableinhisbullpen, Hyde brought on Jorge López, who largely struggled in Baltimore’s rotation but rapidly carved out a backend role after his recent move to the bullpen, to face Gallo.

Pitching for the fourth straight game, López got ahead 1-2 before Gallo laced a changeup over the right-field fence. He bounced back by striking out Judge and Stanton,atwhichpointHydeturnedtoCole Sulser, a right-hander with extreme reverse splits, to retire Rizzo.

Hyde said he considered giving López a clean eighth, but with right-handers Tyler Wells and Conner Greene unavailable after pitching Friday, he hoped to get another out fromDiplán.Whilemanagingthethree-batter minimum, he also wanted López to face Judge and Stanton, matchups that went Baltimore’s way, before bringing on Sulser to face Rizzo. The hope was that Gallo wouldn’t do damage before Hyde got the matchups he wanted.

“You kind of pick your poison there,” Hyde said.