Yesterday, we discussed the historic rate at which the Orioles are allowing home runs. Orioles pitchers combined to allow 100 homers on the season entering Wednesday’s action, putting them on pace for 338 over 162 games. That would break the all-time record by the Reds’ staff in 2016 , which allowed 258 round-trippers.
The Yankees in particular have contributed heavily to that 100-homer total. 29 percent, to be exact. Of those 29 homers, Gleyber Torres and Gary Sánchez hit eight each. The Yankees had 73 homers on the season, meaning 40 percent of their homers have come against the O’s.
The onslaught continued on Wednesday. Thairo Estrada and DJ LeMahieu each hit a two-run homer off of Dan Straily in the second inning. Torres followed up in the third with a solo homer. Gary Sánchez hit a bases-empty blast in the fourth, and Torres hit another solo shot in the fifth.
MASN’s Gary Thorne’s call of Torres’ second homer was fitting. “In the air to right field, Mancini going back on the ball by Torres. Way back. Up and -- Gah! [chuckles] I don’t even know. Goodbye, home run. I mean...”
If you’re keeping score at home: Orioles pitching has now allowed 104 homers in 49 games, now a pace for 344 over 162 games. The Yankees have 77 homers on the year. Torres now has 12 homers to date with 10 of them -- ten! -- coming against the Orioles. Sánchez has 15 home runs with nine having been hit versus the O’s.
Fortunately for the Orioles, after the series finale on Thursday, they will not play the Yankees again until August 5.