Ramon Urias hit a tiebreaking RBI double with one out in the seventh inning and started a key double play at third base in the eighth to help the Baltimore Orioles recover from a blown four-run lead and record a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees in their home opener on Friday.
The Orioles gave up five straight runs after taking a 4-0 lead through three off New York starter Clarke Schmidt.
Adley Rutschman hit a tying single in the sixth off Ron Marinaccio (0-1) before the Orioles scored twice against Jimmy Cordero.
Cordero entered after Ryan Mountcastle opened the seventh by walking and stealing second. He took third on Cordero’s first wild pitch of the inning and easily scored when Urias ripped the next pitch to the base of the left-center field wall. Urias later scored on another wild pitch to extend the Orioles’ lead to 7-5.
The Yankees made it a one-run game on Oswaldo Cabrera’s RBI single off Cionel Perez (1-0). Jose Trevino then showed bunt twice against Bryan Baker before scorching a grounder towards Urias.
The reigning Gold Glove third baseman quickly backhanded the ball and stepped on third to get Gleyber Torres before completing the double play. Following a stolen base by Cabrera, Baker struck out Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Felix Bautista stranded Aaron Judge at third in the ninth for his third save in four chances. Judge extended his on-base streak to 40 games with a four-pitch walk, stole second and took third on a wild pitch before Bautista retired Anthony Rizzo.
Franchy Cordero hit a three-run home run off Baltimore starter Dean Kremer in the fourth and Cabrera ripped a two-run double off Logan Gillaspie in the sixth.
Cordero’s homer and Cabrera’s double occurred after the Orioles scored two runs apiece in the second and third off Schmidt.
Adam Frazier lined a single to right for a 1-0 lead and Urias scored when a fielder’s choice grounder by Austin Hays caromed off Torres’ glove at second.
After Mountcastle’s sacrifice fly made it 3-0, Gunnar Henderson ripped an RBI double to center.
Kremer allowed four runs on five hits in five-plus innings, striking out four and walking three. He was lifted after Giancarlo Stanton opened the sixth with a single.
Schmidt allowed four runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings, fanning three and walking three.
–Field Level Media