Severino continues to pitch like an ace
The Yankees’ offense stole the spotlight in Saturday’s 16-3 win over the Orioles. These days, and most days, their lineup is producing lasers and bombs and headlines in unimaginably rapid succession, capable of carrying them to a win in almost any game.
But when Luis Severino is on the mound, the offense doesn’t need be so dominant — the 23-year-old already is playing that role.
While the lineup piled up 18 hits — including five home runs — in the blowout, Severino (5-2) suffocated Baltimore’s bats in one of the best starts of his career, holding them to just one run and two hits over seven innings while not allowing a runner to reach base in the first four frames.
Over his past five starts, Severino has gone 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA, while recording at least seven strikeouts in each outing.
“His stuff was really good,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I thought he had a great fastball. It had a lot of life. [His] slider was good, changeup was good. He moved it around. Another outstanding performance by him.”
Severino started the night with two strikeouts and never lifted his spikes from the Orioles’ throats.
The first Oriole the right-hander allowed to reach base was Mark Trumbo with a walk to start the fifth inning. Trey Mancini then broke up the no-hitter two batters later.
“When I see everybody clapping, I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then, I’m like, ‘Oh my God,’ ” Severino said. “I wasn’t focusing on that. I was just trying to throw good pitches.”
Despite the blowout and the lengthy gaps between returns to the mound, Severino remained as sharp as ever and allowed his only other hit on a solo homer by Chris Davis in the seventh inning. Severino, who finished with eight strikeouts and two walks on 89 pitches (66 strikes), lowered his ERA to 2.75.
“It can be tough because your innings can be long in between and you can sit over there a long time,” Girardi said. “I thought he did a great job handling it.”