Sports Desk
New York: Pinch hitter Gleyber Torres hit a tiebreaking two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees ran their winning streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Baltimore Orioles Sunday afternoon.
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With the four-game sweep of the Orioles, the Yankees (26-21) moved 5 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore for the eighth and final playoff spot in the American League. New York dropped three of four last weekend in Baltimore but outscored the Orioles 21-3 this weekend.
Baltimore (20-26) lost its fifth straight after it had won six of eight to get back into the race. The Orioles also dropped their 10th straight game at Yankee Stadium.
For the second straight game, New York struggled to produce offense but got its latest win by putting together a two-out rally against Dillon Tate (1-1) and Tanner Scott. Tate allowed infield singles to Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier before left-hander Scott came on.
Torres batted for left-handed hitting outfielder Brett Gardner and roped a 1-0 pitch to the warning track in right-center field to easily score Hicks and Frazier.
Before the eighth, the game’s only runs came on solo homers.
Renato Nunez homered in the second for Baltimore while Tyler Wade connected in the third for the Yankees.
New York left-hander J.A. Happ allowed one run on five hits in five innings. He struck out five, walked none and threw 73 pitches.
Baltimore’s John Means allowed one run on five hits in six innings. Means struck out four and walked one.
Adam Ottavino put two on in the sixth during his first outing since allowing six runs Monday to Toronto but Jonathan Holder retired D.J. Stewart to end the inning. Chad Green fanned two in a perfect seventh and Zack Britton (1-2) pitched a hitless eighth. Aroldis Chapman tossed a perfect ninth and converted his second save. Nunez made it 1-0 when he opened the second by just clearing the right field fence with his 11th homer of the season. Wade tied it with one out in the third when he lifted a 1-0 pitch into the right field seats for his second homer of the season.
