Baltimore Orioles secure a place in the postseason for the second year in a row

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Orioles are returning to the postseason.

Anthony Santander, Ramon Urias and Colton Cowser each hit a home run to lead the Orioles to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in New York, securing their second consecutive playoff berth.

The Orioles’ win and the Minnesota Twins’ loss secured them a wildcard spot.

With five games to go, the Orioles (87-70) have a four-game lead over the Detroit Tigers and hold the first wildcard spot in the overall standings.

The Orioles were the top seed in the playoffs last year, had a bye, but were defeated by the Texas Rangers in the American League Divisional Series. It was their first time in the playoffs since 2016.

After winning their first AL East title since 2014, the Orioles started 23-11 and were 55-31 before the July 3 game, but have gone 32-39 since then, hampered by a series of injuries. The Orioles were sole leaders of the division for 62 days, leading by as much as three games.

Baltimore has not won a playoff game since 2014, in the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers.

Santander hit his 44th home run for the Orioles, who moved within five games of the leading Yankees (92-65) in the AL East.

The Orioles’ win decided the season series and the tiebreaker against the Yankees, but to finish atop the division, Baltimore would have to finish 5-0 and New York 0-5.

New York, which secured a playoff spot last week, would win the AL East with another victory.

Baltimore had lost seven of its last ten games.

Santander hit a home run in the sixth inning against Clarke Schmidt (5-5), a hit off the foul post in right field. The switch-hitter, who is eligible for free agency after the World Series, has set career highs for home runs and RBIs (100).

Urías increased the lead to 4-1 with a home run against Tim Mayza at the beginning of the seventh inning.

Gleyber Torres’ RBI double with two outs and Juan Soto’s scoring single against Yennier Cano in the second period cut the deficit to 4-3, but when Soto moved to second base after Santander’s home run hit from right, Torres got into trouble on a rundown between third base and home plate and was picked off – leaving Judge unable to hit with two bases on base.

Cowser hit a home run against Ian Hamilton in the eighth inning.

Dean Kremer (8-10) allowed one run and three hits in five innings. Seranthony Domínguez, Baltimore’s seventh pitcher, made two outs for his 11th save in 13 chances.

Schmidt allowed three runs and four hits in five innings.

Heston Kjerstad’s RBI grounder in the second and Ryan O’Hearn’s run-scoring single in the fourth after Schmidt’s wild pitch extended the lead to 2-0.

Aaron Judge hit a high home run to left field in the bottom half for his 56th home run, tying the league for the game.

Knicks player Josh Hart, a great-nephew of former Yankees catcher Elston Howard, threw the ceremonial first pitch and former New York center fielder Bernie Williams, a celebrated guitarist in his second career, played the national anthem.

Trainer room

Orioles: 1B Ryan Mountcastle was activated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a sprained left wrist suffered Aug. 22. He pitched as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and went 1 for 2. … RHP Grayson Rodriguez (lat) still isn’t facing batters and didn’t make the trip.

Yankees: RHP Jake Cousins ​​(right pectoralis strain) hopes to start throwing in a few days and be available for a Division Series.

Next

Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (9-10, 3.77 ERA) is 4-0 in his last seven starts before Wednesday’s game against RHP Zach Eflin (10-9, 3.54).

The Associated Press contributed to this article