Orioles lose tense series opener to Yankees, 4-2, as Albert Suárez’s magic wanes, bats disappear

NEW YORK — The highly anticipated series opener between the Orioles and Yankees exceeded the expectations for intensity.

Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge both left Tuesday night’s game with injuries because of things opposing players did to them. Juan Soto strangely ran into Westburg while the third baseman fielded a ground ball, while Albert Suárez hit Judge on the hand with a pitch.

The Yankees’ Gleyber Torres was also hit by a pitch on the hand, and shortly thereafter, an up-and-in fastball from Nestor Cortes came close to Gunnar Henderson’s chin, causing cheers from the most rowdy among the sold-out crowd of 47,429.

The angst was at a season high, but the quality of baseball wasn’t — at least for the Orioles.

Suárez came back down to earth for his worst start of the season and it took eight innings to get Baltimore’s bats off the train in the Orioles’ 4-2 loss to the Yankees. With the win, New York takes a 2 1/2-game lead over Baltimore atop the American League East.

The Orioles’ 34-year-old journeyman entered Tuesday with only three runs allowed in his previous 25 innings, most of which as a starting pitcher, but the Yankees tagged him with that many in just 3 2/3 frames. Meanwhile, Yankees southpaw Cortes lowered his ERA against Baltimore to 2.20 with six shutout innings as the Orioles went hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Anthony Santander’s two-run homer in the ninth provided a sliver of hope, but closer Clay Holmes buckled down after to shut the door.

Baltimore is 47-25 and is at risk of losing its first AL East series in more than a year. The streak of 21 straight divisional sets without a series loss is tied for the longest in MLB history since divisions were introduced in 1969.

Including Tuesday, the Orioles have gone 47-23 against the AL East during the streak, including 17-7 this year. The last time Baltimore lost an AL East series was versus New York (51-24) in early April 2023.

The last time the Orioles and Yankees faced off seven weeks ago, New York held a one-game lead over Baltimore in a division that was expected to be baseball’s most competitive. The AL East is still a beast, but not in the way that was expected. The Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays appear to already be out of the race for the division crown, as all three have hovered around .500 for most of the spring.

Instead, the Orioles and Yankees are in a heated battle for the title. Baltimore is attempting to repeat as division champs for the first time since 1973-74, while New York is looking to claim the title for the second time in three years.

When that initial series ended in early May after the Orioles took three of four, Baltimore led New York by one game and then went 27-13 in its next 40, tied for second in MLB in that span. But the Orioles lost ground in the division race as the Yankees emerged as perhaps the best team in baseball, going 30-11 in that stretch.

They maintained that status early Tuesday against Suárez, whose surprising success this season has saved the Orioles’ injured rotation. Suárez wasn’t nearly as sharp as he’s been most of the season — he entered the game with a 1.61 ERA — as he gave up 12 base runners, uncharacteristically walking five, hitting one and surrendering six hits. Leadoff hitter Anthony Volpe struck first with a two-out RBI single in the second. After Judge’s hit by pitch in the third, he scored on Giancarlo Stanton’s RBI single. Torres’ sacrifice fly then gave the Bronx Bombers a 3-0 lead.

Suárez loaded the bases in the fourth on three walks, but left-hander Keegan Akin overcame his recent struggles versus lefties to get rookie Ben Rice, making his MLB debut, to fly out. New York took a 4-0 lead in the fifth when Torres scored on DJ LeMahieu’s sacrifice fly off Akin.

Santander’s frozen rope in the ninth was his 18th homer of the season and ninth this month.

Around the horn

• Manager Brandon Hyde did not provide updates on injured pitchers Kyle Bradish (ulnar collateral ligament sprain), Danny Coulombe (elbow inflammation) or Dean Kremer (triceps strain). Hyde said the club might have an update on Coulombe soon. Kremer pitched Sunday for Triple-A Norfolk in a rehabilitation start, but it’s unclear whether he’ll need another.

• Shortstop Gunnar Henderson said he would be willing to hit in the Home Run Derby if he’s invited by MLB. Adley Rutschman took part in the event last summer, putting on a switch-hitting show in the first round.

• Corner infielder Coby Mayo, who Baseball America ranks as the Orioles’ No. 2 prospect, returned to Triple-A Norfolk’s starting lineup Tuesday after playing four games with High-A Aberdeen as he rehabilitated a fractured rib.

• Norfolk catcher Blake Hunt, whom the Orioles acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the Mike Baumann trade earlier this year, was placed on the IL with a left groin strain.

This story will be updated.

Orioles at Yankees

Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.

TV: MASN

Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM