HOUSTON (AP) — Catcher Yainer Diaz was scratched from Houston’s lineup about an hour before the start of a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night because of a left abdominal injury.
Christian Vázquez took his spot in the lineup and was batting ninth.
With Diaz injured, the Astros selected the contract of catcher César Salazar from Triple-A Sugar Land and optioned infielder Shay Whitcomb to Triple-A to make room for him on the roster.
The 27-year-old Diaz is hitting .248 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 26 games this season for the Astros.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz hits an RBI single during the eighth inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge put New York ahead in the first inning with his major league-leading 14th home run as part of a four-RBI night, and the Yankees routed the Baltimore Orioles 12-1 on Monday for a four-game sweep and their 14th win in 16 games.
Judge drove a hanging, full-count knuckle-curve from Shane Baz (1-3) into the Yankees bullpen in right-center for a 2-0 lead and added a two-run single in a six-run eighth off Lou Trivino, who made his Orioles debut.
Judge leads the majors with six first-inning homers this year and has 91 in his career, trailing only Babe Ruth’s 126 and Mickey Mantle’s 103 among Yankees. The home run was Judge's 53rd in 124 games against the Orioles.
Cody Bellinger had three RBIs, including a two-run triple off Trivino.
AL-best New York (24-11) moved a season-high 13 games over .500, outscoring the Orioles 39-10 in the series.
Baltimore (15-20) lost its fifth straight, dropping a season-worst five games under .500. Adley Rutschman made the final out, dropping to 1 for 17 in the series.
Cam Schlittler (5-1) won his third straight start, allowing one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk to Colton Cowser in the sixth.
Schlittler threw 21 pitches 100 mph or faster — 15 more than his total in 21 previous big league starts.
Baz gave up six runs — five earned — in 5 2/3 innings. Weston Wilson, an infielder and outfielder, went to the mound to get the final out of the eighth.
Orioles: RHP Chris Bassitt (2-2, 5.46 ERA) starts Tuesday at Miami, which sends RHP Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.04) to the mound.
Yankees: RHP Elmer Rodríguez (0-1, 4.50) makes his second big league start, against Texas RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 2.01).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees' Trent Grisham celebrates with teammates after scoring on a sacrifice fly hit by Yankees' Cody Bellinger during the third inning of a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles, Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Shane Baz throws during the first inning of a baseball game against New York Yankees, Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler throws during the first inning of a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles, Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with New York Yankees' Trent Grisham, center right, after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles, Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against Baltimore Orioles, Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
