- Ryan O'Hearn's three-run homer off Will Warren decides tense division clash
- 35-year-old Japanese rookie Tomoyuki Sugano strikes out 8 in 5 scoreless innings
- Yankees' late rally falls short despite Aaron Judge extending on-base streak to 25 games
In a critical AL East matchup, the Baltimore Orioles halted their three-game skid with a nail-biting 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees. The game turned decisively in the fourth inning when Ryan O'Hearn launched a 423-foot sweeper from Yankees starter Will Warren into the right-field bleachers, scoring Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. This marked Warren's shortest outing of the season, with all six hits allowed coming before his early exit.
Japanese rookie Tomoyuki Sugano delivered a masterclass in pitching efficiency, needing just 78 pitches to navigate five innings. The 35-year-old right-hander became the oldest MLB pitcher since 2019 to record eight strikeouts in his first six career starts. His performance dropped Baltimore's rotation ERA by 0.54 runs when he starts – a crucial factor given the team's otherwise 6.45 rotation ERA.
The Yankees mounted a late comeback attempt with Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells hitting back-to-back doubles in the eighth. However, Baltimore's bullpen combination of Gregory Soto and Félix Bautista closed the door, with Bautista striking out Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger in a perfect ninth. New York's bullpen struggles continued as former closer Devin Williams threw first-pitch balls to all three batters faced despite a clean eighth inning.
Regional Impact: The Orioles' success with international signings like Sugano reflects their aggressive scouting in Japan's NPB league – 12% of their 40-man roster now features Asian-born players. This strategy contrasts with the Yankees' pitcher development program, which has seen three top prospects require Tommy John surgery since 2022.
Industry Insight: Late-inning defensive substitutions proved vital when Cedric Mullins robbed Paul Goldschmidt of a potential game-tying homer. Teams shifting outfielders in the seventh inning or later have prevented 23% more extra-base hits this season compared to 2023. The Orioles' 89% success rate in late-game defensive positioning leads MLB.