YANKEES CLAIM AL EAST TITLE

Tuesday night the Yankees headed into a 3 game series against the Baltimore Orioles. They needed to win 1 game to clinch the AL East title.

Here’s the recap:

Tuesday, Clarke Schmidt pitched against Dean Kremer. Schmidt pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and struck out 7. Kremer pitched 5 innings, gave up 1 run on 3 hits and struck out 3. The Orioles went up 1-0 in the second inning and scored a second run in the fourth inning. Aaron Judge hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to put the Yankees on the board. Anthony Santander hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and Ramon Urias hit one in the seventh inning. The Yankees scored some runs in the seventh inning to put them down just 1 run. Anthony Rizzo hit a ground rule double and Alex Verdugo hit a single both scored off a ground rule double by Gleyber Torres and a single by Juan Soto. Colton Cowser hit a solo home run in the eighth inning putting the Orioles up by 2. The Yankees only got one man on base after that and it was a walk. They lost the first game to the Orioles with a score of 5-3 and got to watch the Orioles celebrate earning a playoff spot.

Wednesday, was going to be the night for the Yankees to win the AL East but last minute, Marcus Stroman got the start due to Nestor Cortes being put on the 15-day injured list. Zach Eflin pitched for the Orioles. Stroman continued to struggle, pitching 3 1/3 innings, giving up 6 runs on 10 hits and only striking out one. While Eflin pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and also only struck out one. The Orioles took the lead first, scoring 3 runs in the first inning off a pair of singles. Anthony Volpe hit a RBI single in the second game to add 1 run for the Yankees. The Orioles scored 4 more runs in the fourth inning. Stroman gave up two singles and those two runners scored on a single by Gunnar Henderson. Clayton Beeter replaced Stroman and gave up two RBI doubles. The Orioles were now up by 6. They added another run off a single in the fifth inning. That same inning Juan Soto hit a 2 run home run. Cody Poteet came in to pitch the eighth inning and gave up another run. The Orioles were now winning by 6 again. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees rallied a comeback but fell just a little short. Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres hit singles and scored on a single by Soto, and Aaron Judge hit a 3 run home run. Final score was 9-7, Orioles won.

Thursday, was the Yankees last chance to beat the Orioles and with their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound they were able to pull it off. Cole pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up only 2 hits, no runs and struck out 5. Corbin Burnes pitched for the Orioles and also did well, giving up 1 run in 4 innings and striking out 9. But once Burnes left the game the Yankees bats were swinging. The one run Burnes allowed was a home run by Giancarlo Stanton in the second inning. The Yankees scored 6 runs in the sixth inning off three pitchers. With the bases loaded; Austin Wells walked and a run scored and 2 more scored on a double by Stanton. With 2 outs and another walk; 2 more runs scored on a single by Anthony Rizzo. They scored 2 more runs off a home run by Aaron Judge in the next inning, home run #58. Alex Verdugo hit a solo home run in the eighth inning as well. With the Yankees up 10-0 in the ninth inning, Tim Hill gave up some singles and allowed 1 run. Final score was 10-1, the Yankees won and clinched the AL East title.

The Yankees will face the Pittsburgh Pirates for their last 3 games of the regular season this weekend.