After a few substandard outings, Nestor Cortes was "Nasty Nestor" again yesterday, helping the Yankees get back on track against the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched 6 innings, allowing the Birds no runs, 6 hits, and no walks, striking out 7.
Clarke Schmidt pitched the remaining 3 innings, allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks. If he can put up performances like that the rest of the season, the loss of Michael King to an elbow injury for, it appears, the rest of the season won't be so hard.
That kind of pitching deserves support. With 1 out in the top of the 3rd, Jose Trevino singled. Joey Gallo flew out, but DJ LeMahieu doubled, and then Aaron Judge supported Cortes with a tremendous blast that made the pushback of Camden Yards' left-field wall look like a complete waste of time. 3-0 Yankees.
They picked up 2 more runs in the 6th, on a single by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a double by Trevino. Aaron Hicks singled home a run in the 9th, to put the cherry on the sundae. Yankees 6, Orioles 0. WP: Cortes (8-3). SV: Schmidt (1). LP: Dean Kremer (3-2).
The Yankees now lead the American League Eastern Division by 12 1/2 games over the Toronto Blue Jays, 13 over the Tampa Bay Rays, 17 1/2 over the fading Boston Red Sox, and 18 over the Orioles. The Magic Number to win the Division is 54. But they only lead the Houston Astros for home-field advantage in the Playoffs by a game and a half.
The Yankees have today off, before starting a brief 2-game City Series -- it's not a World Series, therefore it's not a Subway Series -- with the Mets. Both the Tuesday and the Wednesday game will be at 7:10, at Citi Field. The Tuesday game will be available on YES and TBS, while the Wednesday game will only be available on ESPN. For Tuesday, the announced starting pitchers are Jordan Montgomery vs. Tajuan Walker. For Wednesday, Domingo Germán is set for the Yankees, and the Mets have not announced a starter yet.