The New York Yankees have been getting it done recently.
They’ll look to continue that success when they begin a four-game series against the host Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
The Yankees (85-67) improved to 5-2 in their last seven games after scoring 10 runs in each of their last two against the Minnesota Twins.
“Two big nights offensively,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after his team’s 10-5 victory on Wednesday.
New York outfielder Cody Bellinger is within one home run of his third 30-homer season — and his first since 2019, when he smashed 47 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bellinger hit his third home run this month on Wednesday night, and his RBI total at 97 puts him in range for the second 100-RBI season of his career.
“Such a luxury to have him behind (Aaron) Judge,” Boone said. “He has been so good in that role, with runners on base, with runners in scoring position.”
The Yankees and Orioles will meet seven times across the last week-and-a-half of the season. They’ve split six meetings this year.
Baltimore still is capable of good things. The Orioles tied a franchise record with seven stolen bases in the series finale Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, whom Baltimore (72-80) swept with a 3-1 victory for its 11th win in 15 games this month.
“Credit to the players for being fearless and aggressive,” Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said.
Three of the stolen bases came from shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who has lost his power swing this season but has found other ways to contribute. The three stolen bases mark a single-game career high.
“He’s one of the most complete players in the big leagues for me in a lot of ways,” Mansolino said.
Baltimore also keeps getting production in various ways from rookie outfielder Dylan Beavers, who homered on Wednesday.
“He just keeps on plugging away,” Mansolino said. “He has good at-bats. He has some at-bats that may not be the best, but by and large they’re way more good than bad.”
Left-hander Max Fried (17-5, 3.03 ERA) will look to continue a strong trend after winning in his past four starts for the Yankees. Fried will aim to set a career high for victories after matching his 2019 total with the Atlanta Braves.
With 181 1/3 innings pitched, he’s within four of reaching his top mark in that category. He’s 5-0 since Aug. 16, with a no-decision during that span coming with six shutout innings against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 22.
Fried didn’t have a decision in a June 20 outing vs. the Orioles, allowing three runs in six innings. In four career starts against them, he’s 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA
Left-hander Cade Povich (3-7, 5.05) will start for the Orioles on Thursday. He has lasted at least five innings in his last three starts, going 1-0. He has surrendered a total of five home runs across the past five starts.
In April, Povich allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision vs. the Yankees. In his first season in the big leagues last year, he faced the Yankees twice, going 0-1 in 10 total innings while giving up four runs and walking five in each of those matchups.
–Field Level Media
