The Yankees opened this week’s four-game series at the Baltimore Orioles with a 6-2 win.
Five things to know from Monday’s game
1. RHP Luis Severino delivered what was by all accounts his best start of the season, hurling a six-inning one-hitter. He threw 95 pitches (55 strikes), fanning seven while issuing two free passes.
The lone blemish was a leadoff solo shot to Anthony Santander in the fourth inning. Severino subsequently walked Ramon Urias before dialing back in, getting Rougned Odor on a fly out to center before striking out Tyler Nevin and Ryan McKenna.
Severino improves to 3-0 with a 3.63 ERA on the season, striking out 38 while walking 11, in 34 2/3 IP over seven starts.
2. Jose Trevino hit the Yankees’ first home run by a catcher this season, and it was a big one. The former Texas Rangers backstop, whom the Yankees acquired April 2 in a trade that included RHP Albert Abreu and LHP Robby Alstrom, got just around on a 94-mph fastball from Orioles RHP Kyle Bradish down the right-field line for a three-run homer and gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead midway through the fourth inning.
Trevino added another knock in the eighth inning, a two-out single on a ground ball to left field. He recorded his third multi-hit game of the season, the first since April 16 against the Orioles, with a 2-for-4 evening from the eight spot in the batting order.
3. Before Trevino broke the game open, Giancarlo Stanton bounced back from an 0-for-4 performance in Sunday’s 5-1 win at the Chicago White Sox and got the Yankees on the board. Stanton, who has otherwise been hot with a four-game stretch of four homers and 12 RBI prior to the White Sox series finale, roped line-drive double to left that scored 1B Anthony Rizzo and put the Yankees up 1-0 in the third inning.
Although Stanton ultimately got out, caught in a rundown between second and third base, the cleanup-hitting RF’s job was done. Stanton, who went 1-for-4, started in the field while manager Aaron Boone gave Aaron Judge the night off.
4. Severino’s eye-grabbing box score was not without an assist from the defense, especially in the first inning. After Cedric Mullins reached third on a leadoff error by LF Joey Gallo, a Trey Mancini walk, gave the Orioles runners at the corners.
Santander hit into a double play, where 2B Gleyber Torres‘ diving catch got Mancini taking off from first. Severino then got Ramon Urias on a groundout to 3B Josh Donaldson to end the inning.
5. The ninth inning offered a two-sided takeaway. While Donaldson and Rizzo offered a pair of insurance runs on back-to-back solo shots, putting the Yankees up 6-1, LHP Aroldis Chapman‘s bottom half was not clean.
Chapman got through the frame, but not before allowing a home run to Santander that cut into the Yankees’ lead. Although Chapman responded by striking out Urias and Odor, it was another iffy frame from Chapman, who blew Saturday’s 3-2 loss at the White Sox.
Highlights
What’s next
The Yankees (26-9) seek a three-game winning streak Tuesday when they continue their series with the Orioles (14-22).
New York RHP Jameson Taillon (3-1, 2.93 ERA) and Baltimore RHP Spenser Watkins (0-1, 5.19 ERA) are the probable pitchers for the 7:05 p.m. start.
