Yankees edge the Orioles 5-3 after Pete Alonso's deep fly in the 7th is ruled foul

ESPN logo
Thursday, August 20, 2026 2:33AM

BALTIMORE -- - Pete Alonso's drive down the left-field line in the seventh inning was ruled foul, and the New York Yankees took advantage of that reprieve, scoring twice in the top of the eighth to beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Alonso, who had already homered in the third, nearly went deep again with the score tied at 3. His fly to left was initially called foul. One replay seemed to show the ball on the fair side of the pole, but it wasn't clear what angle it was shot from.

After a review, the call stood and Alonso ended up striking out.

The following inning, Cam Sanders (1-1) loaded the bases with a walk and two hit batters. Yennier Cano came on with two outs, and George Lombard Jr. hit a slow roller for an infield single to put New York ahead. Then a wild pitch made it 5-3.

Brent Headrick (7-2) won in relief. David Bednar worked the ninth for his 29th save in 32 chances.

Ben Rice homered for New York, and Alonso and Dylan Beavers went deep for the Orioles. Baltimore has lost three straight since pulling briefly ahead in the race for the American League's final wild card.

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first on a double steal. Gunnar Henderson swiped second base while Jackson Holliday dashed from third to home.

Ryan McMahon's RBI single in the second tied it, and Lombard followed with a sacrifice fly.

Rice's 34th home run went an estimated 447 feet in the third to make it 3-1. The ball landed just under the big scoreboard in right-center field at Camden Yards.

But Alonso extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a drive to the same part of the ballpark, just a little shorter than Rice's. He has 29 homers in his first year in Baltimore.

Beavers tied it in the sixth off Fernando Cruz with an opposite-field drive to left - just to the right of where the wall out there deepens.

Up next

The Yankees try for a sweep Thursday night with Gerrit Cole (6-6) on the mound against Baltimore's Kyle Bradish (7-11).

------

See AP's full MLB coverage herebr/]

Copyright © 2026 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.