O's response to blown 8-run lead: Wins at Tampa and New York
The O's improved to 3-1 this year against the Yankees
For the Orioles, Thursday night they produced one darn fine win. For the Orioles, Friday night they produced one darn fine win.
One at Tampa, one at New York.
Right after the game where they blew an 8-0 lead. What doesn’t destroy you makes you stronger.
The O’s look strong and good on this road trip.
A stirring 5-3 win over the Yankees in the Bronx to begin an important weekend series. Three truly great wins this week.
Last night, Ramon Urias and Scott Blewett were among the heroes.
Just as we figured.
The Orioles, unlike some teams in the American League, just don’t melt when they see the pinstripes.
The Birds are 3-1 versus the Yankees this year. They are 11-6 since the start of 2024. They are 18-12 against New York since 2023.
While the O’s improved to 11-10 against AL East teams, the Yankees fell to 8-12 with the loss. New York, surprisingly, is 2-4 in division series this year and is now 2-9 its last 11 AL East games.
Other impressive stats and notes from a great win
The Yankees had been 12-3 in Max Fried’s starts this season. Fried, who entered with an ERA of 1.89, allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. Not a bad game, but it was only the second time this year he had allowed more than two earned runs in any of his 16 starts.
Six versus the Dodgers, three versus the Orioles.
The Orioles won this game by scoring two runs in the eighth off reliever Luke Weaver to break the 3-3 tie. Weaver took the mound with a 1.05 ERA and 0.70 WHIP.
He had allowed just two homers in 25 2/3 innings but Urias took him deep, just over the short-porch wall in right field. Aaron Judge took a big leap at the wall and O’s fans have seen Judge rob homers that way before. Just not this time.
Urias, whose homer went just 337 feet, has now hit five homers in his career at Yankee Stadium where he has an .870 career OPS.
Tomo Sugano pitched just 3 2/3 innings in the win. But the Baltimore bullpen threw 5 1/3 scoreless with Blewett getting the victory and Felix Bautista save No. 16. The Mountain fanned Judge with a 100 mph fastball in the ninth.
Blewett’s outing was huge. Just huge. He pitched the seventh and eighth, getting six of six batters out on just 19 pitches. He kept the game tied 3-3 in the seventh and preserved the 5-3 lead with his 1-2-3 eighth.
Blewett this year was DFAd by Minnesota April 12 and DFAd by the Orioles April 19. April 20 he was traded by the Orioles to the Braves for cash considerations. On June 6 he was traded by the Braves to the Orioles for cash considerations.
Money well spent.
Right fielder Ramon Laureano had a sensational throw home to get a runner trying to score to end the Yankees fourth inning. It was his seventh outfield assist to tie for the MLB lead.
At 33-42, the Orioles pull to within nine games of the .500 mark for the first time since May 11.
The Yankees have lost seven of their past eight games, are 8-10 this month and are 8-12 their past 20 games.
This team makes me wonder if they can pull off a playoff birth despite having the toughest schedule in baseball the rest of the season. I am sure they believe it. The never say die Orioles have turned it around in June. They need to go out and get a couple more players named Ramon. Because Laureano and Urias have quietly been outstanding. Big hits and amazing defense from those gentlemen have made the difference in this teams fortunes as of late.
A much needed win last night. Let's do it again today. Go Birds.