Matt Harvey on his strong outing against the Yankees

After feeling he was making solid progress with his mechanics and in his work with the Orioles pitching coaches after his last start, right-hander Matt Harvey went out tonight and topped that performance.

Five days ago he allowed five hits and two runs over four innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tonight he allowed just one hit and one run - that on a solo homer - over four innings at Ed Smith Stadium against the New York Yankees.

Harvey walked one and fanned two and the Yankees went just 1-for-13 against him.

Making his third spring start in addition to his work on the back fields, Harvey pitched a scoreless top of the first. It included a walk but also strikeouts of DJ LeMahieu and Gary Sánchez. But Gio Urshela led off the Yankees second with a homer to center field. His first of the spring gave New York the 1-0 lead. After the homer, Harvey hit Derek Dietrich but got the next three batters to end the top of the second.

And he would retire the side in order in both and third and fourth innings. In the third, LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres and Jay Bruce all grounded out. In the fourth, Harvey got Sánchez to ground out. Urshela flied out and Dietrich grounded to short.

After the homer and hit by pitch that started the New York second, Harvey, in camp as a non-roster player on a minor league contract, retired the next nine batters in order. He said it's exciting to be pitching well again.

"Coming in, I didn't really know what to expect," he said. "You know, I had gone up to New Jersey and worked on mechanics and throwing there. Pretty soon after that I came here and had to get it going. So, I think, mechanically, the work that we've been doing is definitely paying off. I feel it's very close. Every time out getting more comfortable. Able to read hitters a little more and get back to what I used to do."

In his past two starts against the Pirates and Yankees, Harvey has allowed three runs and six hits over eight innings with one walk and six strikeouts.

Mac Sceroler, one of the O's two Rule 5 picks, replaced him tonight and pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fifth and then put up a zero in the sixth. The other Rule 5 pick, right-hander Tyler Wells, then pitched two scoreless innings of his own.

After his four innings, Harvey said he felt he has certainly put himself in position to win a rotation spot.

"Yeah, I mean, obviously none of that is my call," he said. "I have to come in here every day and get my work done. And just keep working and progressing, and I feel like I've done a pretty good job of doing that. I guess if there is something I could control it was me coming in each day and working hard and putting myself in a position to make them make a decision. So, I think I've somewhat done that pretty well.

"It's exciting to finally feel my mechanics are working in the right direction. And be able to pitch again. It's been a long time. Been a rough couple of years, but we're definitely finally moving in the right direction."

Harvey pitched to an 11.57 ERA in 11 2/3 innings with Kansas City during the 2020 season. Now he has to somewhat reinvent himself with his work on mechanics with the O's coaches.

"Stepping back, and pretty much every starter nowadays is throwing mid- to upper 90s and whatnot," Harvey said. "I wouldn't say I was the first one to ever do it, but I kind of started the trend with that. I'm not throwing 100 (mph) anymore. I don't quite have the hop like I used to. But I think, really, I'm digging down. And actual pitching is kind of what I have to do. I can still get low to mid-90s, which is definitely, I feel, playable. Just have to be more fine with location."

Yankees starter Michael King gave up two hits and a run over four innings. The Orioles tied the game 1-1 against him in the third. Chance Sisco walked, went to third on Pat Valaika's double and scored on a Ramón Urías groundout.

Valaika's homer to center in the fifth gave the O's a 2-1 lead. He connected off right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga.

A final: The O's won by that 2-1 margin as four pitchers combined on a three-hitter. Dillon Tate pitched the ninth and, after a leadoff walk, struck out the next three batters as O's pitchers walked one and fanned nine.

Valaika went 2-for-2 with a double, homer and walk. He had two of the five Baltimore hits.

The Orioles have won four of their last five games to get to 7-11-1. They are 5-4 at home and 1-1 against New York.

Right-hander Jorge López gets the start on Sunday against Minnesota.