Torres (13 homers vs Os) lifts Yanks to doubleheader sweep
NEW YORK — Gleyber Torres walked to the plate in the eighth inning with runners on first and second, two outs and the Yankees ahead by five runs.
Baltimore called for an intentional walk, and who could blame the Orioles?
Torres hit three of New York’s seven home runs in an 8-5, 11-8 doubleheader sweep Monday, including three-run drives in the fifth and sixth innings of the night game. Torres has 13 of New York’s record 59 long balls against Baltimore this season, a big reason the Yankees have 14 consecutive wins versus the Orioles.
“I take all the opportunities they give and then just do damage,” Torres said.
Gio Urshela had six hits in the twinbill, including a 461-foot homer in the opener, and raised his average to .332 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs.
AL East-leading New York has five doubleheader sweeps to go along with one split. The Yankees improved to 15-2 against Baltimore with two games left, winning 12 of their past 14 overall and moving a season-high 38 games over .500 at 79-41.
Torres set a big league record with his fifth multihomer game against a team in a season, breaking a tie with Ralph Kiner (1947), Gus Zernial (1951) and Roy Sievers (1955). His 26 homers are two more than his total as a rookie last year, and the 13 against Baltimore matched Roger Maris in 1961 against Cleveland for the second-most against one team in a season for the Yankees, one behind Lou Gehrig’s total in 1936 versus Cleveland.
“I just kind of had enough,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said of the walk, which was followed by Brett Gardner’s groundout. “We’re making him look like a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
Didi Gregorius hit a three-run homer in the first inning of the day game and had four RBIs. Urshela, Torres and Cameron Maybin added solo shots, all off Gabriel Ynoa (1-7).
Gardner hit a three-run triple off Ty Blach (0-1) in the opening inning of the night game, Mike Ford had a solo home run and Torres homered off Evan Phillips and Tom Eshelman to make it 11-3.
James Paxton (8-6) started the opener and won a third straight start for the first time since his streak of seven for Seattle from 2017. The injury-decimated Yankees brought in some fresh arms in the night game, when 27-year-old left-hander Joe Mantiply (1-0) got his first big league win in his Yankees debut.