GRAY, YANKS CAN’T FINISH SWEEP:
The Yankees failing to provide much run support while Sonny Gray was in the game hardly was a surprise on Sunday.
The imported starter not pitching well was a far less common occurrence.
Gray, moved up one day in the rotation with CC Sabathia pushed back until Tuesday, lasted a season-low four innings as the Yankees squandered a chance to gain ground in the division race and failed to complete a four-game sweep of Baltimore with a 6-4 loss to the Orioles at the Stadium.
“My stuff just wasn’t sharp from the get-go . . . and it caught up to me,” Gray said. “We played a pretty good series and could’ve really capped it off nicely with a win. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
With Boston also losing at Tampa Bay, the Yanks (82-67) remained three games behind the Red Sox in the AL East with 13 games remaining.
Gray, who had posted a 2.66 ERA in eight appearances since he was acquired from Oakland on July 31, coughed up five runs on six hits in his shortest outing among 25 starts this season.
Didi Gregorius’ solo homer in the second inning represented the only run the Yankees managed in five innings against veteran Orioles righty Ubaldo Jimenez, who came in with a 5-10 record and a 6.75 ERA this season. Aaron Judge was walked intentionally as the potential tying run in the ninth before Zach Britton struck out Gary Sanchez for the final out.