Yankees hit 4 homers in win over Orioles
Brett Gardner of the New York Yankees celebrates his home run during the fourth inning with teammate Gary Sanchez at Camden Yards on May 30, 2017, in Baltimore. Credit: Getty Images / Patrick Smith
BALTIMORE — It’s not that the Yankees were hitting badly the last two weeks. They just hadn’t been performing at the near impossible standard they set for much of the first seven weeks of the season, averaging 3.36 runs over their previous 11 games.
As Joe Girardi put it: “We just haven’t been as hot as before.”
The heat returned Tuesday night.
Riding first-inning homers by Brett Gardner and Matt Holliday, who each hit two in the game, and another strong outing by Luis Severino, the Yankees hammered the Orioles, 8-3, at misty Camden Yards.
“Offensively we got off to such a great start early in the season, the last week or two we slowed down a bit collectively,” Gardner said. “Nice to put some crooked numbers up.”
The AL East-leading Yankees (30-19) had 14 hits, and Gardner and Holliday each has 11 homers, tied for second on the team. Gardner, whom Aaron Judge called “a little ball of muscle,” has hit all 11 in his last 27 games.
“That little guy can hit ’em,” Holliday said.
The 6-4, 240-pound Holliday added with a smile: “We have a little competition going. It’s kind of sad considering I’m about 50 pounds heavier and much, much taller.”
The 5-11, 195-pound Gardner, whose career high in homers is 17 in 2014, went deadpan when asked about his “competition” with Holliday.
“Well, we’re right there neck and neck,” he said. “He’s a big guy in the middle of the order, so I don’t know how long I can hang with him, but we’re just having fun. Trying my best to keep up with those big guys.”
The biggest of those guys, the 6-7, 272-pound Judge (17 homers), said Gardner’s power isn’t surprising.
“Just happy he’s using it now,” Judge said. “He’s using his whole body, he’s got a great swing. I was kind of tired of seeing him try to slap balls to start the game off. I’m glad he’s at the top of lineup using it and hitting for power now.”
Judge had two hits, including a two-run double, and Chase Headley and Aaron Hicks each added two hits and a run batted in. Starlin Castro had two hits and a run.
Severino, coming off eight shutout innings in his last start, did not allow a run until two outs in the sixth, snapping his scoreless streak at 17 2⁄3 innings. “His stuff is elite,” Holliday said.
The Orioles (26-24), who have lost 14 of 17, had three infield hits in the sixth to push across the run. They tacked on two unearned runs in the eighth off Bryan Mitchell.
The 23-year-old Severino allowed one run, seven hits and a walk in 6 1⁄3 innings in improving to 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA. The righthander, described by Judge as “filthy” afterward, was still throwing 98 mph in his final inning. Severino has 69 strikeouts and 15 walks in 61 1⁄3 innings this season.
Two months into 2017, his disappointing 2016, when he lost his rotation spot by mid-May, has been all but forgotten.
“Last year I was missing a lot of spots, especially with my fastball,” Severino said. “This year I feel comfortable with everything. My changeup, my fastball command is good, my slider’s been great.”
Through four innings, the Yankees had 11 hits, including the four home runs. Chris Tillman (1-2, 5.87) allowed five runs and seven hits, including three of the homers, in 2 2⁄3 innings.
“Offenses are going to go through that,’’ Girardi said. “Guys aren’t always going to be hot and you’re going to go through some times where you don’t score a lot of runs. This was great to see.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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