Trent Grisham drove in all three Yankees runs in their 3-1 win over the Orioles in Baltimore on Tuesday night.
Here are the takeaways...
-The Yankees offense struggled mightily against Shane Baz to start. The Orioles right-hander struck out five of the first six batters he faced. The right-hander pushed that to six in the third, but Grisham got the best of Baz, slamming a 403-foot shot to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. It was Grisham's fifth home run in his last eight games.
Aside from the Grisham homer, Baz was in cruise control, striking out 10 batters and pitching into the seventh. But the right-hander allowed two singles and was pulled with one out.
Aaron Boone emptied his bench after Baz was pulled for a left-hander. Paul Goldschmidt, pinch-hitting for Ryan McMahon, walked to load the bases with one out. Amed Rosario, pinch-hitting for Austin Wells, struck out before Grisham hit a two-run single to retake the lead.
-Yankees had just five hits and three walks while striking out 14 times. They were 1-for-5 with RISP and left six on base.
Grisham and George Lombard Jr. (2-4, run scored) were the only Yankees with more than a hit.
-Carlos Rodon was making his first start since June 28 and was predictably lacking command. He walked two batters in the first two innings but was in trouble in the second. Jazz Chisholm Jr. botched a grounder that could have been a potential inning-ending doubleplay, but Rodon pitched out of trouble, striking out Carlos Narvaez and Jackson Holliday.
Rodon wouldn't get out of this game unscathed, as Coby Mayo smashed a game-tying solo shot with two outs in the third. But that's all the southpaw would allow, tossing 66 pitches (39 strikes) in his four innings of work. He allowed the one run on two hits and two walks while striking out four.
-Behind Rodon, the Yankees bullpen did its job. Yerry De Los Santos allowed one hit in two innings of work. Brent Headrick pitched into trouble in the seventh, allowing a single and a walk (on 10 pitches) before striking out the next batter and getting a flyout before Fernando Cruz came in to try and get the final out of the inning. Cruz got Pete Alonso to line out to Spencer Jones in right to end the threat.
Paul Blackburn walked a batter in a scoreless eighth before David Bednar pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.
Game MVP: Trent Grisham
Grisham's offense saved what would have been another lackluster offensive performance.
Highlights
Solo homer for Trent Grisham gets the Yankees on the board! pic.twitter.com/iRsvaZG2Xg
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) August 18, 2026
What's next
The Yankees and Orioles play Wednesday night for the second of their three-game series. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
Will Warren (8-6, 4.42 ERA) will take the mound against Chris Bassitt (4-4, 5.11 ERA).