On a sundrenched afternoon in Yankee Stadium, the Yankees fell to the Orioles in the final game of the four-game series. Making a start on his birthday, C. C. Savath you took the ball for New York, hoping to improve upon not so happy numbers (0-2, 7.84 ERA) when he pitches on his birthday. The best starter for Baltimore and one of the best in the American League, Chris Tillman took the ball today and pitched exceptionally well again. The win improved Tillman to 14-3, tying him for the MLB lead in wins with Chris Sale, and also improved Baltimore to 18-3 when Tillman starts.
In his last outing against Boston, C.C. fell victim to a lot of weak contact which resulted in several fortuitous base-hits for the Red Sox. And this afternoon, it was much of the same as trouble for Sabathia began in the first inning of the ballgame. The big left-hander loaded the bases with one out by allowing a slow infield single to Jonathan Schoop, an opposite-field bloop single to Manny Machado and a walk to Chris Davis. The next batter J.J. Hardy smoked a single that ricocheted off Didi Gregorius' glove into left that plated Shoop and Machado, giving the O's a first inning two run lead.
The Pinstripers got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second as Gregorius led off the frame with a squibbed ground ball double to left and scored when Starlin Castro lined a single into left, pulling the Yankees back to within one.
More soft contact that led to timely Oriole base hits spelled the end for Sabathia's afternoon in the top of the seventh. Caleb Joseph hit a ground ball single up the middle with one out, which was followed by a Julio Borbon bloop single to left. After getting Flaherty to strike out for the second out, Sabathia served up another well-placed bloop double to right field by Schoop that scored both runners and extended the Birds lead to three. The birthday boy left in line for another birthday loss, leaving with a final line of 6.2 innings pitched, allowing four runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Chad Green came on in relief of the lefty and managed to escape the frame without any further damage.
Outside of the second inning run, Tillman was masterful today against the Yankees, holding them to one run on five hits while walking two and striking out seven in seven innings of work. Zach Britten came on in relief in the ninth and recorded his 30th save in 30 tries, salvaging a win in the final game of the four-game series.
Tomorrow night, the Yankees welcome in a very grumpy NL West leading San Francisco Giants, who have gone 0-5 since the All-Star break. The game features a beast of a pitchers duel, Tanaka versus Bumgardner, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM/EST.
