Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo propel Orioles to 7-2 win over Yankees in series clincher

BALTIMORE (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo each homered and drove in two runs to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a series-deciding 7-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday.

Ryan McKenna also connected and Jordan Westburg’s two-run triple helped the Orioles complete a four-run fifth to chase Yankees starter Carlos Rodón (2-2) and secure a third win of the four-game set, the first this season between likely AL East contenders. The Orioles moved one game ahead of the Yankees in the division.

Righty Kyle Bradish allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings in his first start after beginning the season on the 15-day injured list with a UCL strain. Keegan Akin (1-0) retired four batters while allowing a run in middle relief.

“That might've been our best pitched series, honestly,” said Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde, whose staff allowed six runs in the four games. “From the starts we got to how the bullpen pitched against a really good offense.”

Gleyber Torres hit his first home run but also made the Yankees’ third error of the series to help extend the game’s decisive inning.

“He's got to secure the ball,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Torres, who dropped the ball trying to barehand shortstop Anthony Volpe's feed on a potential double play. “He's made that play a lot. Didn't in that spot.”

Rodón yielded all seven Baltimore runs — six earned — on eight hits in his shortest outing of 2024.

He escaped his bases-loaded, no-out jam in the second before Mountcastle’s solo shot in the third, and Mateo’s and McKenna’s in the fourth.

“Just being aggressive,” McKenna said of the Orioles' adjustments. “I think guys started taking pitchers' pitches against him, started barreling up some more.”

After Mountcastle singled in another run in the fifth, Anthony Santander grounded the potential double-play ball that Torres' gaffe turned into a two-on, none-out situation.

A visit from pitching coach Matt Blake followed, but Westburg drove Rodón’s 2-1 slider down the middle to the base of the wall in left-center to plate both runners, then came home on Mateo’s sacrifice fly off newly entered reliever Ron Marinaccio.

“I thought we had (Adley) Rutschman struck out, and then we don't turn the double play there,” Boone said of the inning.

Bradish threw 51 of 84 pitches for strikes in his return from a rehab assignment that ended more quickly than some expected.

The fourth-place finisher in the 2023 AL Cy Young vote escaped a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the first and left with runners on the corners in the fifth before Akin induced Anthony Rizzo into a popout to short.

“I think this clubhouse is pretty excited to get someone of that caliber back on the field,” Orioles catcher James McCann said.

Yankees: LF Alex Verdugo returned to the lineup and batted sixth after missing three games on the paternity list. ... Optioned C Carlos Narvaez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Orioles: Activated Bradish and designated RHP Yohan Ramirez for assignment. ... With Bradish making Thursday's start, LHP John Means (forearm strain) will make his first start of the season on Saturday after he was activated from the injured list on Wednesday. ... OF Austin Hays (left calf strain) took batting practice and did on-field drills and could go on a rehab assignment soon, Hyde said.

Yankees: RHP Marcus Stroman (2-1, 3.69) looks to rebound from a four-inning outing — his shortest of the season — in the opener of a six-game homestand Friday night against Detroit.

Orioles: RHP Cole Irvin (2-1, 3.49) tries to extend his stretch of 14 1/3 scoreless innings when Baltimore begins a five-game trip at Cincinnati on Friday night.

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Baltimore Orioles' Anthony Santander (25) and Jorge Mateo (3) celebrate after a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. The Orioles won 7-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Cionel Perez (58) celebrates with catcher James McCann, left, after a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. The Orioles won 7-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle, left, celebrates his home run as New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells looks on at right, during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles' Jorge Mateo, left, celebrates his home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game as New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells looks on at lower right, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles' Ryan McKenna, left, celebrates his home run with Gunnar Henderson, right, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles' Jorge Mateo celebrates his home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto motions towards the outfield during his at-bat in the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. Orioles catcher James McCann is at left. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles' Jordan Westburg (11) gestures at third base after he drove in two runs with a triple during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. Orioles third base coach Tony Mansolino is at left. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman (35) is greeted by Anthony Santander, left, after he scored on a single by Ryan Mountcastle during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, pulls starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, second from left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon walks back to the dugout after he was pulled during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New York Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo prepares to make a catch on a sacrifice fly by Baltimore Orioles' Jorge Mateo during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The governments of eight European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland.

In a joint declaration, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta and Poland said they agree on a re-assessment that would lead to “more effective ways of handling” Syrian refugees trying to reach European Union countries.

The eight countries, which held talks during a summit meeting in the Cypriot capital, said the situation in Syria has “considerably evolved,” even though complete political stability hasn't been achieved.

Cyprus has in recent months seen an upsurge of Syrian refugees reaching the island nation primarily from Lebanon aboard rickety boats.

Earlier this month, the EU announced a 1 billion euro ($1.06 billion) aid package for Lebanon aimed at boosting border controls to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants to Cyprus and Italy.

The eight countries said the EU should further boost support for Lebanon to "mitigate the risk of even greater flows from Lebanon to the EU.”

“Decisions as to who has the right to cross a member state’s borders, should be taken by the government of the relevant member state and not by criminal networks engaged in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings,” the joint declaration said.

The call comes a day afte r 15 EU member countries publicly called for the bloc to boost partnerships with countries along migratory routes in hopes of heading off attempts to reach EU countries.

The countries said that while they “fully embrace” the need to support Syrian refugees in line with international law, they hoped their talks could open a wider debate within the 27-member bloc on the process of granting the migrants international protection.

“What European citizens want from us ... are solutions, practical, realistic solutions that can be implemented,” said Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis.

Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the United Nations' refugee agency has already “established lines of communication” with Syrian authorities regarding possible voluntary returns in line with international law.

The Cypriot minister said returns would initially be on a voluntary basis, but that could develop into forced returns at a later stage. Much more needs to be done for that to happen because the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad isn't recognized by the EU, he said.

In Lebanon, where anti-refugee sentiment has been surging recently, more than 300 Syrian refugees returned to Syria in a convoy earlier this week.

Lebanese officials have long urged the international community to either resettle the refugees in other countries or help them return to Syria.

Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, right, talks to the media during a press conference as his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, and Czech's Vít Rakusan stand by during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second right, talks to the media during a press conference as his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, Czech's Vít Rakusan, second left, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, right, stand by, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second left, talks with his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, Czech's Vít Rakusan, right, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second right, stand by, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, left, talks with his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, right, Czech's Vít Rakusan, second right, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second left, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus' interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second left, talks with his counterparts Austria's Gerhard Karner, left, Czech's Vít Rakusan, right, and Greece's Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second right, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)