BALTIMORE — The had a chance to sweep the Orioles on Sunday, but they came up short in a 6-5 loss prior to the All-Star break. The Yankees, 58-40 (.592), will enter the off days with a second-place record, as Baltimore is now 58-38 (.
604). The two foes face off again at Yankee Stadium during the final week of the regular season. On Sunday, the Yankees had a chance to win late, as Ben Rice gave his team a 5-3 lead with a three-run homer in the ninth.
However, an Anthony Volpe fielding error gave Baltimore a run before Alex Verdugo misjudged a flyball and fell to the ground on a Cedric Mullins double to left. Verdugo appeared to take a step towards the infield before turning around as the ball flew over his head and eventually fell on the outfield grass. The ball, hit off Clay Holmes, had a catch probability of 99%.
Just like that, the teeter-totter affair ended on a humiliating note for the Yankees. Prior to all that, Carlos Rodón labored but limited the Orioles on a muggy day in Baltimore. The lefty only lasted four innings in the sun, as long second and third innings jacked up Rodón’s pitch count.
Gunnar Henderson, meanwhile, smoked a hanging slider off the starter in the third inning. The two-run blast, Henderson’s 28th homer of the year, gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead after Trent Grisham gave the Yankees the game’s first run with an RBI single in the second. Volpe scored on the knock after doubling.
Despite pitching into multiple jams, Rodón didn’t allow any r.