Field Level Media
Aug 1, 2018
Sonny Gray lasted 2 2/3 innings and was booed off the mound at Yankee Stadium as the New York Yankees were handed a 7-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday afternoon.
Gray (8-8) tied a career high by allowing seven runs while also surrendering eight hits. It was the ninth time he has allowed seven runs and first instance since May 30, 2017, at Cleveland when he was with Oakland.
The inconsistent right-hander lost for the first time since lasting two innings at Toronto on July 6 and for the first time in four starts against Baltimore this season. He also failed to complete three innings for the third time this season and his 57 pitches were a season-low.
Gray saw his home ERA rise to 7.71 ERA and became the first Yankee pitcher this season to allow at least five earned runs and get fewer than 12 outs in the Bronx.
Gray also was betrayed by his defense, which was not charged with any errors but did not make a few key plays behind him during a five-run second.
Third baseman Miguel Andujar double-clutched a throw on a bunt single by Caleb Joseph in the second with the Orioles holding a 1-0 lead following Trey Mancini's RBI single a batter earlier. Ronato Nunez stroked a two-run double to right field, giving the Orioles a 3-0 lead. One out later Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres did not move to back up shortstop Didi Gregorius on a Tim Beckham single up the middle that gave the Orioles a 5-0 lead.
Those plays resulted in YES network cameras appearing to catch third base coach Phil Nevin yelling at players in the dugout.
Mancini also homered, his 14th, in the third off Gray, who was lifted after Gregorius deflected Nunez's ground ball into left field.
Lance Lynn pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings his debut for the Yankees, coming back after a 39-minute rain delay. He was activated before the game after being acquired from Minnesota on Monday and is considered a candidate to start if J.A. Happ can't pitch this weekend due to hand, foot and mouth disease.
Torres homered for the Yankees in the second and the ninth for his second career multi-homer game.
Andujar added a bases-loaded RBI single in the eight for the Yankees, who are 6-6 against the Orioles this season. New York was unable to win its fourth straight game heading into this weekend's four-game series at Fenway Park against the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox.
Alex Cobb (3-14), the major league leader in losses, allowed one run on seven hits in six innings. He won for the first time in 10 starts since beating the New York Mets June 5 at Citi Field.
Mancini went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Nunez recorded a career-high three hits and a pair of RBIs and a run scored.
The Orioles halted an 11-game road losing streak a day after dealing second baseman Jonathan Schoop to Milwaukee and sending pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day to Atlanta.
--Field Level Media