Yankees win 19th straight over Orioles, 6-5 win in Game 1

Miguel Andújar singled in the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning, and the New York Yankees ran their winning streak against the Baltimore Orioles to 19 games with a 6-5 victory Friday in the opener of a doubleheader.

Gary Sanchez homered and Brett Gardner drove in two runs for the Yankees, who have won 18 in a row at Camden Yards — tied for the second-longest road streak in major league history by one team against another. The record is 19, by Brooklyn at Cincinnati from 1947-49.

Recalled from New York's alternate site before the game, Andújar entered as a pinch runner in the seventh and stayed in the game at third base. His single to right against Travis Lakins Sr. (2-2) made it 5-4, and Clint Frazier followed with an RBI single.

New York Yankees' DJ LeMahieu, right, is greeted by Tyler Wade (14) after they both scored a single by Brett Gardner during the third inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

Jonathan Holder (2-0) worked the eighth and Chad Green got three outs for his first save. Holder ran for himself after New York burned the designated hitter and scored on Andújar's single.

Facing the Orioles probably couldn't have come at a better time for the Yankees, who had lost three of four and 10 of 14. The latter slide followed a 16-6 start and dropped New York out of first place in the AL East.

Cedric Mullins hit a leadoff homer for the Orioles, who erased a three-run deficit behind long balls by Rio Ruiz and Renato Núñez.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael King delivers a pitch during the first inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

Thomas Eshelman started for Baltimore as a late replacement for Alex Cobb, who was placed on the injured list before the game for undisclosed reasons. Eshelman gave up a second-inning homer to Sanchez and exited during New York's three-run third, when the Yankees used an error, a two-run single by Gardner and a bases-loaded walk to go up 4-1.

A two-run homer by Ruiz in the fourth got Baltimore within a run, and Núñez tied it in the fifth with a solo shot off Ben Heller.

Yankees starter Michael King allowed three runs in four innings, all of them via home runs.

New York Yankees' Gary Sanchez, right, celebrates his home run with Mike Tauchman (39) during the second inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: The news keeps getting worse for the limping Yankees, who placed INF Gio Urshela (right elbow bone spur) and RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (medical condition) on the 10-day injured list. Manager Aaron Boone said Loaisiga's malady has nothing to do with COVID-19 and is “not a baseball thing." ... RF Aaron Judge (strained right calf) “is starting to get back to baseball activity stuff," said Boone, who added, “I am confident that he'll be back before the postseason." ... INF Gleyber Torres (left hamstring) is poised to come off the IL on Sunday, Boone said.

Orioles: The length of Cobb's absence is anyone's guess. “We’re just following protocol and he’s unavailable today. Hope he’s back soon," manager Brandon Hyde said. ... 2B Hanser Alberto returned after missing two games with a sore knee.

Baltimore Orioles' Cedric Mullins (31) celebrates his home run with Anthony Santander (25) during the first inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

EMOTIONAL MOMENT

Yankees catcher Erik Kratz became very emotional when asked about his longtime reputation for working closely with young Hispanic pitchers.

“I love seeing what they can do. Sometimes some people forget where they come from, some people forget that they want it just as badly, and there's people at home that want it just as badly for them," Kratz said. “They're not around their family. Being older, hopefully I can be somebody that can step in."

Baltimore Orioles' Cedric Mullins reacts after touching home after his home run during the first inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

Kratz was pushing back tears as he spoke about trying to be an understanding, sympathetic mentor to his Hispanic teammates, including emerging rookie Deivi Garcia. He summed up his answer by saying, “Now I get to cry on Zooms because I've got kids too and I hope somebody would treat my kids that way."

UP NEXT

García (0-0, 0.00 ERA) was slated to start Game 2 against righty Jorge López (0-0, 7.53).

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tom Eshelman delivers a pitch during the first inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

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Baltimore Orioles' Rio Ruiz, left, celebrates his two-run home run with Hanser Alberto (57) during the fourth inning of the first baseball game of the team's doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tom Eshelman walks toward the dugout after he was pulled during the third inning of the first baseball game of the team's doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP PhotoNick Wass)