Judge, Frazier Slug Bombers Through Rout Of Fading Orioles
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge had a pair of three-run homers for a career-best six RBIs, Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer that chased Wade Miley with one out in a six-run first inning and the New York Yankees routed the fading Baltimore Orioles 13-5 on Thursday night.
Judge hit an opposite-field drive over New York's bullpen in right-center in the fourth against Mike Wright, then lined a 448-foot drive into the second deck in left in the sixth off Rich Rodriguez. Judge has 43 homers and 96 RBIs, and with 27 homers at Yankee Stadium this year broke the ballpark's season record set by Curtis Granderson in 2012.
Rediscovering his stroke after a prolonged second-half slump, Judge had his second multihomer game in less than a week and is hitting .462 with 11 homers and 24 RBIs against the Orioles this season. When he reached the dugout after the second drive of his fifth multihomer game, Judge was given the silent treatment by Didi Gregorius, who then burst into a wide smile.
Gary Sanchez added his 31st homer to go back-to-back with Judge in the sixth, and New York rolled to a 13-2 lead and its ninth victory in 12 games. Masahiro Tanaka (12-11) won for the fourth time in five starts, allowing two solo homers in seven innings while striking out eight.
Starting a stretch that has them home for 14 of their final 17 games, the Yankees remained three games behind AL East-leading Boston.
New York began the night three games in front of Minnesota for the top wild card while Baltimore started 4 1/2 games behind the Twins with four other teams to overcome. The Orioles were one game behind Minnesota on Sept. 6, then lost six in a row.
Jonathan Schoop hit his 32nd homer in the fourth and Trey Mancini his 24th in the sixth, a drive to the second deck in right. Tanaka has given up 32 homers, 10 more than his previous big league high.
Miley (8-13) lasted 19 pitches as six of seven batters who faced him reached with hits. It was the shortest of his 194 big league starts.
New York burst ahead when Jacoby Ellsbury singled on Miley's third pitch and Judge on his fourth, and Sanchez doubled on his sixth.
Matt Holliday hit an RBI grounder with a 3-1 count, Chase Headley had a run-scoring single on the next pitch and Gregorius singled on Miley's second offering. Frazier sent a 3-1 fastball into Monument Park beyond center field for his 25th homer, his second three-run drive in a four-game span.
SWING AND A MISS
With 10 strikeouts, Yankees pitchers raised their season total to a club-record 1,401, topping the previous mark of 1,393 set last year.
YOU'RE THE TOP
Ellsbury hit lead off for the first time since Aug. 16 and for the first time against a left-handed starter since July 17.
FIRSTS
Chance Cisco, who made his debut Sept. 2, pinch hit for the Orioles in the seventh and doubled for his first big league hit. Manny Machado pocketed the ball and threw a clean one into the stands as a prank. Cisco then homered leading off the ninth.
SILENT TREATMENT
Yankee Stadium's sound system failed before New York took the field, and the Yankees opened their big lead before audio was restored at the end of the top of the second. A pregame video tribute to the late Gene Michael was scrapped. His No. 17 was stenciled on the field in foul territory on the first- and third-base sides.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: Greg Bird, after missing three games with back spasms, pinch hit in the seventh, flied out and then went to first. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Bird will start Friday. ... OF Aaron Hicks, who hasn't played since Sept. 2 because of a left oblique strain, has strep throat and is staying away from the clubhouse.
UP NEXT
RHP Luis Severino (12-6) is slated to start Friday for the Yankees and RHP Gabriel Ynoa (1-1) for the Orioles. Severino is 7-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 11 starts since the All-Star break.
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