The New York Yankees had a strong performance against Kyle Gibson on Tuesday, sparking discussions about torpedo bats once again.
When facing the Baltimore Orioles, New York hit veteran starter Kyle Gibson with three consecutive home runs. Unlike Nestor’s previous experience, Gibson managed to avoid giving up three straight homers on three consecutive pitches.
However, the Yankees managed to hit five home runs off Gibson, with Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Ben Rice contributing to the offensive onslaught.
According to MLB, this marked the second time in league history that a team led off a game with three straight homers twice in a single season. The Yankees achieved this feat before the end of April.
Despite Paul Goldschmidt grounding out, Cody Bellinger followed up with a fourth homer in five batters, extending the lead to 4-0. This marked the second time this season that the Yankees opened a game with four homers in five batters.
The Yankees continued their offensive dominance with doubles from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe, as well as a single from Oswaldo Cabrera, increasing their lead to 5-0.
Gibson exited the inning with a 45.00 ERA, as he was making his season debut after signing with Baltimore on March 21 and accepting a minor league assignment.
Despite the Orioles’ struggles, Chisholm exited the game with an apparent oblique injury.
The Yankees’ offensive prowess vs. the Orioles’ pitching struggles
The Yankees showcased their offensive firepower early in the game, hitting 14 first-inning homers this season and leading the league in runs scored and triple-slash numbers.
On the other hand, the Orioles’ pitching rotation faced challenges, with Gibson’s performance adding to their struggles. The team entered Tuesday with the third-worst starting pitcher ERA in baseball.
With the Yankees leading the AL East with a 17-12 record and the Orioles at the bottom with an 11-17 record, it’s clear that New York’s bats have been exceptional this season while Baltimore’s arms have faltered.