Anthony Rizzo hit 3 home runs in the Yankees 12–8 win against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, and became the MLB’s leading long ball hitter on the season.
The game marks the second straight contest where the Pinstripes scored double-digit runs, coming after the team beat the Cleveland Guardians by a 10–2 margin on Sunday.
Yankee hitters were quiet for the first 2 innings, as Baltimore righty Jordan Lyles held the team scoreless until the 3rd inning — when Rizzo homered to right field off a 92 mph fastball, which scored him, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kyle Higashioka, after they signed and walked earlier in the inning, respectively.
For more coverage of Anthony Rizzo and the Yankees, visit amNY.com
Joey Gallo would follow up that score in the following inning with a solo homer in the 4th, sending a 86 mph changeup over the center field fence to bring the score to 4–0.
DJ LeMahieu extended his hitting streak to 12 games in the 5th inning, when he singled to right field, and was quickly driven home by Rizzo’s second homer of the night off a changeup from Lyles.
The Yankees entered the 6th inning up 6–0, but their dominating lead quickly deteriorated when Luis Severino gave up a single and a walk, before Orioles hitter Anthony Santander homered to bring the score to 6–3.
The Yanks would go on to give up 5 more runs, including in the 7th inning, when Ramon Urias smashed an RBI single that scored second baseman Rougned Odor after he doubled earlier in the inning.
Fearing a Baltimore comeback, the Yankees put up a 4-run 7th inning, which saw 4 hits and several Bronx Bombers reach base — with RBIs attributed to Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres.
Entering the 8th inning, the team from the Bronx found themselves up 10–4, but the Orioles managed to rally and keep the game close.
A 4-run 8th inning, which saw a pitching change from Lucas Luetge to Jonathan Loáisiga, brought Baltimore to a 10–8 deficit, including from a 2-run homer from Austin Hays.
The Bronx Bombers responded soundly in the bottom of the 8th, when Aaron Judge hit a solo shot over the left field fence, and Rizzo followed that with his 3rd home run of the game, coming off an 88 mph fastball from Alexander Wells.
That's Major League home run leader, Anthony Rizzo, to you. #TeamRizzo pic.twitter.com/cFBwxFkWLX
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 27, 2022
Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman took the mound in the 9th inning with a 12–8 lead and held his opponents scoreless to secure the victory.
The Yankees now move to an 11–6 record, which puts them at a statistical tie with the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Pinstripes next game comes against Baltimore on Wednesday night in the Bronx.
