After scoring 30 runs over the last two games, the Yankees were blanked for the fifth time of the season in the series opener against the Orioles. A heavyweight matchup against the two best teams in the American League, it was shockingly a pitching duel between the two best offenses in the division. Clarke Schmidt would toe the slab against Grayson Rodriguez in Baltimore, and they would put on a clinic on the mound, working out of trouble and making some timely pitches against the heart of the opposing team’s lineup.
Despite how well the offense looked in the Brewers’ series out in Milwaukee, the Yankees were unable to score a run as they lost a tight one 2-0.
Clarke Schmidt Takes Tough Loss as Yankees Get Blanked
The Yankees got some hits and worked some walks, but they just weren’t able to punch through and get any runs on the board. When you pick up seven hits and work three walks you expect to get something going, but the Yankees were 0-8 with runners in scoring position. Gunnar Henderson on the other hand demolished a curveball off of Clarke Schmidt in the first for a solo blast, and that would give Baltimore a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
It just wasn’t an eventful game for the Yankees, who would get some runners on and make some quality contact, but ultimately the Orioles made some brilliant plays and kept their lead for the entire contest. Schmidt pitched strong in this one, as while he walked three batters and allowed a HR he struck out five batters and only allowed one run the entire night. This was the longest outing of his season as well (5.2 IP) and his ERA on the season sits at a strong 3.19.
As for the bullpen, while Caleb Ferguson did allow two hits to set the Orioles up in the ninth, Clay Holmes came in and induced an easy groundball, but Anthony Volpe made a defensive mistake and it cost them. Baltimore scored a second run off of that play, creating some added insurance. Gleyber Torres in the top of the ninth smoked a single up the middle, having a multi-hit game after a strong series against the Brewers, and Oswaldo Cabrera came close to tying it up.
The ball died in left field, and they would go down in order after that. It was just a tough loss for the Yankees, who will hope to bounce back tomorrow and even up the series. It’ll be Nestor Cortes versus Dean Kremer, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 PM at Camden Yards.