Trent Grisham was the offensive catalyst for the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, driving in all three runs in a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The rest of the Yankees lineup struggled for much of the game, but Grisham’s solo home run and two-run single proved to be enough.
Grisham opened the scoring in the third inning with a solo home run off Orioles right-hander Shane Baz. It was Grisham’s 17th homer of the season. The Yankees’ offense, playing without Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, managed only two hits against Baz through the first seven innings. Baz recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts before departing the game in the seventh.
The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning. After pinch hitter Amed Rosario struck out, Grisham came through with a base hit to center field, giving the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
Carlos Rodón, making his first start since returning from an elbow inflammation injury, pitched four innings and allowed one run on a solo home run by Coby Mayo in the third inning. Rodón, on a pitch count, threw 66 pitches and gave up one run on four innings. Five relievers combined to pitch five scoreless innings to close out the game. The Yankees have now won two consecutive games after losing three in a row.
An unusual play occurred in the second inning when second base umpire Ryan Additon appeared to momentarily obstruct the view of Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a ground ball. Chisholm was visibly upset with the umpire. Despite the mishap, Rodón managed to strand all three runners on base with a strikeout and preserved the Yankees' lead at the time.
George Lombard Jr. had two hits in the game, including a single in the fifth inning that, along with a walk to Ryan McMahon, put runners on first and second. However, the inning ended when Austin Wells popped out and Grisham flied to left.
The Yankees managed to get to Baz in the seventh inning after Spencer Jones led off with a single. Lombard then added another hit. After a walk to pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt, Rosario struck out. Grisham’s subsequent single provided the Yankees with their final margin of victory.
Despite allowing the first two batters to reach base in the seventh, reliever Brent Headrick retired the next two before Fernando Cruz got Pete Alonso to fly out to end the threat.