Yankees 14, Orioles 3: Sweeping the wrong way

The Yankees have scored at least 8 runs in five consecutive games, a streak they haven’t matched since 1956. The team’s mix of home runs and high on-base percentage also delivered their fifth straight win, as they swept the Orioles with a 14-3 decision on Sunday.

Today’s sacrificial lamb was Kevin Gausman, who has struggled against the Yankees this season. Gascan Gausman gave up a bases-loaded single to Starlin Castro and a three-run home run to Gary Sanchez in the first inning, putting the Yankees up 5-0 after just 12 pitches.

The Yankees continued to apply pressure in the second and third innings, putting multiple men on in both frames. Gausman was able to induce a pair of double plays to escape trouble, but it was clear he was laboring all day. The Yankees put Baltimore’s starter out of his misery in the fourth, after an Aaron Judge double and Matt Holliday single plated the team’s seventh run of the game.

Chad Green, meanwhile, was tasked with a spot start and allocated about 60 pitches before Joe Girardi would piece together the rest of the game from his bullpen. Green wasn’t particularly sharp, going just two innings before failing to get an out in the third. Green and Chasen Shreve combined to give up four consecutive doubles to drive in three runs. Shreve was able to work out of the third, preserving the early lead. Jonathan Holder and Adam Warren also got work in, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings between them.

The bullpen put the game on cruise control from then on, and with a big lead in the sixth, Judge did this:

That. Cleared. The. Bleachers.

We’ve all seen what Judge has done this season, and it’s getting hard to come up with more superlatives about his performance. Maybe it’s sustainable, maybe it’s not, but man, is it incredible to watch every day.

Lost in all the excitement over the offense was a pretty cool moment: the major league debut of Domingo German. The 24 year old right-hander entered the game in the seventh throwing 97 mph — who doesn’t, these days? Jonathan Schoop was German’s first big league strikeout, and the kid was rolling from then on. He ended up finishing the game, just one out shy of his first career save. Good work, kid.

Oh, yeah, Judge hit a second home run in the seventh. The Yankees ended the series with 12 home runs in the series. I’m amazed the Orioles didn’t send a position player to pitch.

That looks fun, doesn’t it? Judge gets the WPA nod, of course, at .168. Great game all around for the lineup, though.

In the last three series, against the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Orioles, the Yankees have a +59 run differential, and as of today sport, the best mark in baseball. This team might be good, everyone.

The Yankees are done with division play for a while, and head out west to face off against a Mike Trout-less Angels team tomorrow. First pitch is at 10:05 pm, with Masahiro Tanaka scheduled to start.