NEW YORK (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles clinched their second straight playoff berth, overcoming Aaron Judge’s major league-leading 56th home run to beat the New York Yankees 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Baltimore's win combined with Minnesota’s loss to Miami nine minutes later assured the injury-depleted Orioles at least an American League wild card.
“Last year winning the American League East was just such an achievement for us and the expectations were much lower,” general manager Mike Elias said. “We came into this year with higher expectations. We made a lot of moves that kind of pushed some chips in for this year and then we just didn’t have the fortune that we would have hoped for. I think today is a sense of relief.”
Anthony Santander hit his 44th home run and Ramón Urías and Colton Cowser also went deep for Baltimore (87-80), which closed within five games of the AL East-leading Yankees (92-65) with five games left. The Orioles’ win clinched the season series and the tiebreaker against the Yankees, but Baltimore would have to finish 5-0 while New York goes 0-5 for the Orioles to finish atop the division.
New York, which locked up a playoff berth last week, would win the AL East with one more victory.
"We didn’t get it done today but we've got an opportunity to do it tomorrow,” Judge said.
Baltimore had lost seven of its previous 10 games.
Santander homered in the sixth against Clarke Schmidt (5-5), a drive off the right-field foul pole. Eligible for free agency after the World Series, the switch-hitter has set career bests for homers and RBIs (100).
Urías boosted the lead to 4-1 with a home run against Tim Mayza starting the seventh.
Gleyber Torres’ two-out RBI double and Juan Soto’s run-scoring single against Yennier Cano in the bottom half cut the deficit to 4-3, but when Soto continued to second on Santander’s throw home from right field, Torres got caught in a rundown between third base and home plate and was tagged out — preventing Judge from batting with two on.
“I just tried to protect Soto," Torres said. “I feel like I have to be a little more aggressive if I’m going to make that decision.”
Torres had three hits and is batting .295 since the All-Star break, up from .231 in the first half.
“He does make some mistakes on base," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "On the bases, he’s cleaned it up a lot from I think last year and the year before where he was getting himself in trouble a lot. I think in his case, has toned down some of the aggressiveness, but I think also tonight is a case of protecting a runner, too. But, again, it’s got to be bluff or sell out and go.”
Cowser homered off Ian Hamilton in the eighth.
Dean Kremer (8-10) allowed one run and three hits in five innings. Seranthony Domínguez, Baltimore's seventh pitcher, got two outs for his 11th save in 13 chances.
Schmidt gave up thee runs and four hits in five-plus innings.
Heston Kjerstad’s RBI grounder in the second and Ryan O’Hearn’s run-scoring single in the fourth following Schmidt’s wild pitch built a 2-0 lead.
Judge homered in the bottom half, a high drive to left field.
Knicks player Josh Hart, a great nephew of former Yankees catcher Elston Howard, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and former New York center fielder Bernie Williams, an acclaimed guitarist in his second career, played the national anthem.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Ryan Mountcastle was activated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from sprained left wrist sustained Aug. 22. He pinch hit in the sixth and went 1 for 2. ... RHP Grayson Rodriguez (lat) is still not facing hitters and did not make the trip.
Yankees: RHP Jake Cousins (right pectoral strain) hopes to start throwing in a few days and be available for a Division Series.
UP NEXT
Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (9-10, 3.77 ERA) is 4-0 in his last seven starts going into Wednesday’s outing against RHP Zach Eflin (10-9, 3.54).
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