Judge HR backs Gray's pitching as Yankees beat Orioles 4-1
BALTIMORE (AP) - Sonny Gray pitched six sharp innings, Aaron Judge homered and the New York Yankees breezed past the punchless Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Friday night.
Rookie Gleyber Torres had two hits and an RBI for the Yankees, who have won three straight to move a season-high 19 games over .500 (36-17).
Gray (4-4) allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts. It was the first time in his 11 starts that he did not issue a walk.
Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth for his 13th save.
Judge put the Yankees up 4-1 in the seventh with his 16th home run, a towering shot that went deep into the seats beyond the left-field wall.
Manny Machado hit his 17th homer for the Orioles, who have lost six in a row. Baltimore has scored only seven runs during the skid and been blanked twice.
The Orioles came into the game ranked 13th in the 15-team AL in batting average, tied for last in runs and second-to-last in total bases.
Baltimore wasted a decent start by Andrew Cashner (2-7), who gave up three runs over six innings.
Machado's homer put the Orioles up 1-0 in the first inning and New York tied it with an RBI single by Torres in the third.
In the fifth, Torres lost his shoe trying to stretch a leadoff double into a triple and was thrown out at third. Brett Gardner followed with a single, and Greg Bird hit a two-out triple off the glove of a leaping Adam Jones at the center field wall.
A two-out double by Austin Romine on a liner over the outstretched glove of right fielder Joey Rickard made it 3-1 in the sixth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: 3B Miguel Andujar was not in the starting lineup, but he insisted it had nothing to do with running into Houston's Yuli Gurriel on Wednesday. "It was a collision, so you feel the impact. You felt being hit," the rookie said. "But I'm ready to play."
Orioles: LHP Zach Britton (Achilles tendon) pitched a perfect third inning for Double-A Bowie, the second game of his rehabilitation assignment. ... 3B Tim Beckham (core surgery) stopped by the clubhouse and said he expects to begin his rehab assignment around June 14. Beckham said he feels about 85 percent, physically. ... INF Danny Valencia returned from paternity leave and LHP Donnie Hart was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.
SOAKING IT IN
Rain is the Baltimore forecast this weekend, and the last thing the Yankees need is another postponement to go with the six they've had already. But manager Aaron Boone knows it's pointless to worry about it. "It's something we feel we're equipped to handle. We have no choice," he said. "We'll just do our best to deal with the schedule that's in front of us."
UP NEXT
Yankees: Unbeaten in his last seven starts (4-0), Masahiro Tanaka pitches the second game of the series Saturday night.
Orioles: Kevin Gausman (3-4, 4.31 ERA) makes his 18th career start against the Yankees. He has more wins against New York (seven) than any other team.
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