NEW YORK — Fourth of July fireworks are typically saved for the dark of night, but Gleyber Torres couldn’t wait any longer after rain slightly delayed the start of the Yankees’ holiday matinée against the Orioles.
With right-hander Kyle Gibson on the mound, the second baseman clobbered a two-run home run in the first inning on Tuesday. Torres’ blast gave the third-place Yankees a quick 2-0 lead in what became an 8-4 win, their second in a row over their second-place rivals.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa added a sac fly in the fourth inning, while the O’s displayed some firepower of their own in the fifth inning. That’s when former Yankee Aaron Hicks — booed at every possible turn since the four-game series began Monday — lined one over Yankee Stadium’s right field porch. Adam Frazier then followed up with a two-run, game-tying homer.
Clarke Schmidt served up both of Baltimore’s bombs, but he only allowed those three earned runs over five innings. The righty also tallied five hits while striking out seven and walking none over 80 pitches
The Yankees, meanwhile, weren’t done with Gibson.
The veteran’s defense betrayed him in the fifth when Giancarlo Stanton grounded a single toward the middle of the diamond. Torres, already on first, ran on the play, which center fielder Cedric Mullins reacted to without much urgency. Mullins then lofted the ball into second base, where it was bobbled, so Torres just kept running home.
That handed the Yankees a 4-3 lead. More insurance runs came in the seventh when Jose Trevino hit a solo homer off reliever Nick Vespi. Harrison Bader then added a two-run double off Bryan Baker.
One last Yankee run came in the eighth when the Orioles botched a potential double-play, while Baltimore plated one in the ninth off Albert Abreu.
Gibson totaled six innings, three hits, four earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts over 104 pitches.
The Yankees bullpen didn’t allow a run before Abreu entered with a big lead, as Ron Marinaccio, Wandy Peralta and Tommy Kahnle followed Schmidt with three blank frames. Kahnle has yet to permit a run over 13.2 innings this year after a biceps injury delayed the start of his third stint with the Yankees.
The Yankees now hold a 2-0 series lead over the Orioles, and they have a chance to take the set with a win on Wednesday night. The pinstripers had yet to announce their pitching plans at the time of publication, but prospect Randy Vásquez is an option to start.
Dean Kremer will take the ball for the Orioles.
The struggling Luis Severino will start the series finale for the Yankees on Thursday, while Kyle Bradish is scheduled to pitch for Baltimore.
