The Yankees grabbed an early lead and never looked back in this one. Judge, Voit, and Sánchez all had big nights at the plate while Domingo Germán breezed through six innings. Let’s jump right in, just as the Yankees offense did
The The Bombers looked ready from the word go, as DJ LeMahieu drew a leadoff walk, Luke Voit ripped a line drive single to left for his first hit of the season, and Judge walked to load the bases with no outs. Gio Urshela struck out, but DJ showed alert baserunning, scoring on a ball in the dirt. Three pitches later, Gary Sánchez singled back through the box to plate Voit and Judge.
Brett Gardner struck out, and the Yankees added another baserunner on Clint Frazier’s HBP, but López limited further damage inducing the soft groundout from Andújar. Still, for a team that has scored only nine first inning runs prior to today, a 3-0 lead after the opening frame is progress.
After Domingo Germán worked a stress-free, eleven-pitch first inning, Tyler Wade reached on a bad throw by Ruiz that was dubiously awarded as a hit. Wade paid the favor right back however, as he was thrown out on a steal attempt by a good seven feet. DJ punched a trademark single through the hole on the right, and after a Voit strikeout, Judge crushed a home run to left to make it 5-0 Yankees. The 385-foot blast was his 11th of the season, and puts him in a four-way tie for the AL lead.
López was knocked out of the game after only two innings. His 71 pitches put him in some rather ignoble company.
Jorge Lopez knocked out after 2 innings and *71* pitches. That’s the most that any MLB pitcher threw in the first 2 innings of a game since Ivan Nova on May 8, 2018 for the White Sox against the Pirates
— James Smyth (@JamesSmyth621) May 16, 2021
Keegan Akin came on in relief and did a much better job than his predecessor, retiring the side in order. Germán got himself into some trouble, loading the bases on a Ruiz single, Sisco double, and Mullins walk, but threw a nice sinker in on Hays’ hands to induce the inning-ending double play and keep the shutout intact.
The middle innings weren’t nearly as exciting as the first three, with both pitchers facing the minimum in the fourth and fifth. In the sixth, the Yankees loaded the bases on three consecutive singles by Gardner, Andújar, and Wade’s third of the night (wait, what?), which spelled the end of Akin’s night.
He was replaced by Tyler Wells, who promptly balked Gardner home to make it 6-0 Yankees. DJ struck out, but Voit got his season well and truly jumpstarted this game as he lined his second single of the night to left, scoring Andújar and Wade and making it 8-0 Yankees.
After cruising through the first five innings, Germán faced trouble of his own making in the sixth. After a leadoff walk and single by Sisco and Mullins respectively, the Orioles broke the seal with a Mancini groundout that scored Sisco. Germán managed to reel it in, limiting the damage to one run to escape the inning with a 8-1 lead.
I was surprised to see him pulled after only six innings and 80 pitches. I thought given his pitch efficiency, the large lead, and the chance to rest the bullpen with a slate of consecutive games without an off-day, he might be allowed to go deep in this one. His command started to waver in the sixth so I understand it.
Really impressed with Germán’s night. Six innings, four hits, one run, two walks, six strikeouts. 79 percent whiff rate on the curve and 57 percent whiff rate on the four-seamer. Here they are: pic.twitter.com/EjQcMX9ull
— Pinstripe Alley (@pinstripealley) May 16, 2021
Gary just missed a three-run bomb in the top of the ninth as Ryan McKenna made a leaping grab to rob him of a homer at the wall. The catcher should have been more thoroughly rewarded for the quality of his at-bats tonight, but he can still take positives away from tonight even without a homer to his name.
The Yankees bullpen did what the Yankees bullpen does in the final innings. Lucas Luetge entered in the seventh and retired the side on eleven pitches. This was the perfect opportunity to let Justin Wilson iron out some of his issues, and he seized the opportunity, going one-two-three in the eighth.
Luis Cessa dragged things out longer than they should have gone in the bottom of the ninth, allowing leadoff singles to Hays and Mountcastle. The Orioles dragged back a consolation run on Urias’ RBI single, but Cessa induced a double play to wrap this one up 8-2.
The Yankees will look to sweep the series tomorrow night with Jordan Montgomery on the mound. He was initially expected to face Orioles ace John Means, but a change in plans means it is now unknown who his opponent will be. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm ET.
