Orioles build early four-run lead, hold off Yankees

Ryan O'Hearn hit a three-run homer, Tomoyuki Sugano struck out eight in five shutout innings and the Baltimore Orioles held on to defeat the visiting New York Yankees 4-3 on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.

Cedric Mullins, a day after sitting out because of illness, and Ramon Laureano both had two hits for the Orioles, who won just for the second time in eight games.

Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge both had two hits for the Yankees, who nearly wiped out a four-run hole but stranded nine runners. New York failed to score at least four runs for only the eighth time in 29 games this season.

Yankees starter Will Warren (1-1) lasted 3 1/3 innings while surrendering four runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked two. Ryan Yarbrough provided 3 2/3 scoreless innings to keep New York within range.

Sugano (3-1) allowed five hits and issued one walk. Felix Bautista struck out two, including Judge, in a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

The Orioles, who were swept in three weekend games at Detroit, went up 1-0 in the second inning. Jackson Holliday singled with two outs and scored on the first of Laureano's two doubles. O'Hearn's fifth homer of the season, which came after third-inning walks to Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, made it 4-0.

Rutschman was back in the Baltimore lineup after sitting out with a swollen hand Sunday. He went 1-for-3 with a run.

Judge's fielder's-choice grounder in the seventh got the Yankees on the board. In the eighth, Paul Goldschmidt hit a leadoff single and Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells rapped back-to-back run-scoring doubles with one out off Gregory Soto.

Keegan Akin, the first Baltimore reliever, logged 1 1/3 perfect innings with three strikeouts.

The Yankees outhit the Orioles 10-8, but New York batters struck out a total of 15 times. The eighth-inning doubles were the only extra-base hits for the Yankees.

It was the first meeting of the season between the American League East rivals.

--Field Level Media