Holliday, Sanchez homer but Yankees blow four-run lead in 6-5 loss to Orioles

The Yankees continued their opening road trip with the first game of a three game series against the Baltimore Orioles tonight. Luis Severino made his first start of the season, and pitched well for the most part. He settled down after a rough first inning, striking out six in total, but a three-run homer by Manny Machado in the fifth essentially ended his night. However, the Yankees offense showed some life behind two-run homers from Matt Holliday and Gary Sanchez. Unfortunately, a key error from Chase Headley and two-run home run from Seth Smith propelled the Orioles to a 6-5 victory.

Photo Credit: Mitch Stringer | USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees got off to a good start, as Brett Gardner singled to lead off the game and later stole second, before Sanchez walked. Greg Bird then struck out swinging, but Holliday came through with an RBI single to right field that scored Gardner. The early rally was then killed as Jacoby Ellsbury struck out and Starlin Castro popped out to second.

Luis Severino did not have the best beginning to the game, giving up a double to Seth Smith and an RBI single to Adam Jones that was almost snagged by Greg Bird. The Yankees defense did not do him any favors, as Starlin Castro wasn’t able to come up with a Chris Davis ground ball, and Chase Headley threw a ball that, instead of becoming an inning ending double play, hit Jones in the helmet and flew into right field. Severino did pick up two strikeouts in the first inning, however.

Matt Holliday put the Yankees back on top in the top of the third inning with his first home run with the Yankees, a two run shot to left field giving the Yanks a 3-1 lead. Brett Gardner had also singled and stolen another base earlier in the inning.

In the fifth, Gardner doubled for his third hit of the night. Sanchez then absolutely crushed his first home run of the year, giving the Yanks a 5-1 lead. That homer knocked Jimenez out of the game.

Severino really settled down after the first inning, giving up just two hits and striking out three in innings 2-5 before he made his mistake. With two outs and Jonathan Schoop on first, Severino walked Adam Jones and served up a three run home to Manny Machado, which narrowed the Yankees’ lead to 5-4. He struck out Chris Davis looking after that, but the damage had been done.

The Yanks had a chance to make up for the Machado homer in the top of the sixth, when Starlin Castro singled and Aaron Judge walked. Aaron Hicks pinch hit for Torreyes with one out and runners on first and second, but he fouled out to first, and Gardner grounded out to second to end the inning. They had another chance to score in the seventh, when Holliday walked and Ellsbury singled, but Donnie Hart got Castro to ground out to shortstop to end the inning. #RISPFail at its finest.

Those #RISPFails came back to haunt the Yanks in the bottom of the seventh. Schoop hit an easy ground ball to third, but Headley’s throw was low and Bird couldn’t come up with it. After a sacrifice bunt, Seth Smith hit a two-run home to right field off of Tyler Clippard to give the O’s a 6-5 lead. Brad Brach came on for the Orioles in the eighth and struck out the side in order. Zach Britton followed up Brach’s performance in the ninth getting the save while picking up one strikeout to give the Orioles a 6-5 win.

What's Next?
The Yankees will be back in action in Camden Yards again tomorrow with the first pitch coming at 4:05 PM ET. The game will be on YES, FS1, and MASN. Masahiro Tanaka will be making his second start of the season against Kevin Gausman making his second start of the season for the O's.

Winning pitcher: Donnie Hart (1-0, 0.00 ERA): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Losing pitcher: Tyler Clippard (0-1, 4.50 ERA): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Save: Zach Britton (2)

Notables:

Brett Gardner: 3-5, 2B, 3 R, 2 SB, K

Gary Sanchez: 2-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, BB

Matt Holliday: 2-2, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, 2 BB

Greg Bird: 0-4, 3 K

Luis Severino: 5.0, 6 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR

Adam Jones: 1-3, RBI, R, BB, K

Manny Machado: 1-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, 3 K

Seth Smith: 2-4, 2B, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R

Article by: Alex Weir

Follow @waelierx Follow @BronxBomberBall