The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
A Tough Opening Act
Valencia HR carries Orioles past Yankees in first game of twinbill
BALTIMORE — Danny Valencia snapped an 0-for-25 skid with a three-run homer in the sixth inning off CC Sabathia, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 5-4 Monday in the opener of a doubleheader.
Mark Trumbo also homered for the Orioles, who snapped a six-game losing streak.
The Yankees were cruising with a 4-2 lead in the sixth when Sabathia (6-4) walked Trumbo and yielded a double to Jonathan Schoop. With the New York bullpen buzzing in an effort to get a reliever ready, Sabathia served up a 2-1 pitch that Valencia drove far over the centerfield wall.
It would be the final pitch for the big left-hander, who allowed five runs and eight hits in fiveplus innings. Sabathia, 37, is winless in his last nine starts against the Orioles since May 4, 2016.
Giancarlo Stanton homered for the Yankees, who are in pursuit of first-place Boston in the AL East. New York got the potential tying run to third base with one out in the ninth before Zach Britton struck out Kyle Higashioka and retired pinch-hitter Brett Gardner on a grounder.
New York is 3-4 against the last-place Orioles this season. As an example of the Yankees’ frustration, left fielder Clint Frazier cracked his bat over his knee after his third strikeout of the game in the eighth inning.
Mike Wright (2-0) struck out four in two innings of relief, Mychal Givens fanned two in the eighth and Britton followed for his second save.
Recalled from Triple-A Nor-
folk to be the 26th man for Baltimore in the doubleheader, Jimmy Yacabonis allowed three runs over five innings in his second major league start.
Stanton put the Yankees up 1-0 with his 22nd home run, a solo shot in the second inning. It was 3-0 before Manny Machado doubled and Trumbo connected in the fourth.
The game was a makeup of a rainout on May 31.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: All-Star reliever Aroldis Chapman (left knee tendinitis) left Saturday’s game against Toronto
with a trainer by his side, but manager Aaron Boone says there has been no discussion about putting the lefty on the DL and that the injury has not impacted his effectiveness. … C Gary Sanchez (groin) is scheduled to take batting practice on Tuesday in Baltimore, and a decision on the start of his rehab assignment will be made this weekend.
Orioles: Reliever Darren O’Day will undergo surgery Thursday to repair a severe hamstring strain. “I’ve come to terms with my season being over. I’m excited to get the surgery and kind of get focused on going forward,” O’Day said. … RHP Chris Tillman (back) has been dealing with a callus on his pitching hand but remains on schedule to make his next rehab start.
NO TEARS, PLEASE
Dellin Betances is one of the game’s hottest relievers, but his run of four All-Star appearances in four big league seasons is over. If the right-hander was dismayed over the slight, he didn’t show it. “Every year a lot of guys are left out. Last year I probably didn’t deserve to get in,” he said. Betances started the week with a run of 18 straight scoreless appearances. Asked about being idle during the All-Star break for the first time, he replied, “It’ll be weird. But I’ll enjoy those four days.”