After a more lackluster loss on Monday by 6-2, the Orioles lost 5-4 to the New York Yankees Tuesday night in a game where they had the winning run on second base against closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. They had scored once and were in position to pull off a walk-off victory, but Chapman got Cedric Mullins on a popout to preserve the win.
Tonight the clubs play the third game of this four-game series with right-hander Jordan Lyles (2-3, 4.38 ERA) making his eighth start and facing right-hander Gerrit Cole (3-0, 2.95 ERA).
New York (27-9) has the best record in the majors and leads the American League East by 5 1/2 games over Tampa Bay. New York’s record is three games better than the team with the No. 2 record in the big leagues, which is the Los Angeles Dodgers at 24-12. The Yankees have won eight of nine and 20 of 23 games, going 13-5 in road games and 14-6 within the AL East.
New York's 27-9 start matches the best 36-game start by any team in the majors in the last 38 years, since 1985. They join the 2016 Cubs (Won WS), 2005 White Sox (Won WS), 2001 Mariners (Lost ALDS), 2002 Red Sox (second in AL East) and 1998 Yankees (Won WS). And this matches the third-best 36-game start in the bigs in the last 75 years, trailing only the 1984 Tigers (31-5) and 1977 Dodgers (28-8).
The Orioles (14-23) have lost five in a row and six of seven. They are now 9-9 at home, 8-9 in the past 17 games and 11-15 over 26 games since April 20. They are now 5-6 on the year in both one-run and two-run games. They are 4-10 versus the AL East, going 4-4 at home and 0-6 on the road.