The Yankees continue to move away from their frustrating .500 start. Last night, at Yankee Stadium, Jordan Montgomery started against the Baltimore Orioles, and pitched into the 6th inning, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits, no walks, and 4 strikeouts. But he would not be the winning pitcher.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run in the 1st inning, the 350th of his career -- his 83rd as a Yankee. But Anthony Santander homered off the Yanks for the 2nd straight night in the 6th, meaning Montgomery left with the score tied, 2-2.
Michael King came in to pitch, and finished the 6th, so he was the beneficiary in the bottom of the 6th. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you, especially the leadoff variety. DJ LeMahieu led off with a walk. Aaron Judge struck out, but Anthony Rizzo singled DJLM over to 3rd, and Stanton nearly hit another one out, but the sacrifice fly scored DJLM with the go-ahead run.
King pitched a perfect 7th, and was rewarded with a home run by Joey Gallo. The Yankees scored another run later in the inning, on an Oriole wild pitch. King pitched a hitless 8th, and Clay Holmes pitched a perfect 9th. Yankees 5, Orioles 2. WP: King (2-0). SV: Holmes (2). LP: Joey Krehbiel (1-2).
That's 5 in a row, and 7 of the last 8. And, with the Toronto Blue Jays getting clobbered by the Boston Red Sox last night, the Yankees are now 12-6, in 1st place by half a game, a full game in the all-important loss column.
The series concludes this afternoon. Jameson Taillon starts against Bruce Zimmerman.