Barring a shocking collapse, the Yankees still have a good chance of clinching the American League East at some point in the final four days of the regular season.
But Wednesday was a terrible pit stop on the way there.
The bad news started just hours before first pitch, when Nestor Cortes was sidelined with a left elbow flexor injury and placed on the disabled list, putting his postseason participation in doubt.
Then his replacement, Marcus Stroman, allowed six straight hits early in the game, including a key fielding error by left fielder Jasson Dominguez, and things didn't get any better after that, as the Yankees lost 9-7 to the Orioles in front of 41,010 angry fans in the Bronx, missing a second straight chance to clinch the division title.
“Nothing has been easy this year,” coach Aaron Boone said, “and we shouldn't expect it to get easy right now, but we've been patient and we've worked hard and we've come through it. … We'll be ready to go.” [Thursday].”
The Yankees (92-66) were trailing 9-3 going into the bottom of the ninth inning but rallied to get the game going, including a three-run homer by Aaron Judge, his 57th of the year.
But the champagne remains on the ice for the second straight night as the Yankees' magic number for winning the division remains at one and the Orioles (88-70) are again four games behind with four games remaining.
The Yankees also remain at three for the best record in the AL (they currently lead the Guardians by just a half-game) and will try to avoid a sweep by sending Gerrit Cole to the mound on Thursday in a showdown between ace pitchers Corbin Burnes.
“They're all tough,” said Judge, who homered in four straight games and became the first player since 2009 to record 142 RBIs in a season. “We're playing against some great teams that have been together all year, so whether the magic number goes down to one or goes down to five, it's never going to be easy. We're going to keep battling and get our job done.” [Thursday].”
Stroman, in his first appearance as a bullpen pitcher since Sept. 10, gave up 10 hits (all singles) and six runs in 3 1/3 innings for the Orioles.
Not all of the singles were hits, and there were some well-hit grounders, but they all counted equally on Stroman's tough night.
Juan Soto hit a two-run homer off Zach Eflin in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 8-3, and the Yankees looked to be poised to come back with the bases loaded and two out.
But Jazz Chisholm Jr. flied out on the first pitch from new relief pitcher Jacob Webb, defusing all the air in the stadium in the process.
In the top of the first inning, Colton Cowser hit a fly down the left field line for what should have been the first out for the Orioles, but the team had a chance to load the bases with no outs.
But as Dominguez chased the ball toward the corner, he overran it and the ball landed right behind him for a two-run single.
The only consolation from this play was that the Yankees got Santander out at third base.
“I have to catch that ball 100 percent,” said Dominguez, whose ability in left field is shaky as the Yankees try to decide whether he or Alex Verdugo will start in the playoffs.
The Orioles built a 3-0 lead after the first inning, then caught Stroman again in the fourth to take him out of the game.
Gunnar Henderson's two-run single made the score 5-1, and Stroman left the mound to boos from the crowd.
“It's frustrating, but at the end of the day I just didn't do my job to help the team win,” Stroman said.
Eflin walked five times in 4 2/3 innings, giving the Yankees a chance to get back in the game early.
But they couldn't capitalize on those opportunities and a ninth-inning comeback came too late, as they waited until they could clinch the district championship.
“After all, [the Orioles are] “We're playing good baseball,” Soto said. “I'm sure everyone in this clubhouse wants to win, but that's only part of it.”
