7:03 pm | August 7, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
BALTIMORE — The Bronx Bombers are doing their best bombing in Baltimore.
In the same city where Francis Scott Key famously penned “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the New York Yankees went deep five times against the Orioles in Wednesday night’s 14-2 win at Camden Yards, giving them 52 homers against Baltimore to break the record for most by a team against a single opponent in one season.
The record-breaking 49th homer came in the top of the fifth inning, when Gio Urshela sent a 97 mph sinker from reliever Miguel Castro over the left-center-field fence for a two-run shot.
Urshela also homered in the sixth, while catcher Kyle Higashioka went deep in the fourth and ninth innings and left fielder Cameron Maybin launched a 436-foot solo blast in the ninth.
Higashioka’s fourth-inning homer off starter John Means tied the previous MLB record held by the 1956 Yankees, who hit 48 homers against the Kansas City Athletics. The Yankees have 11 players with multihomer games against Baltimore this season, breaking the record of 10 set by San Francisco against the Dodgers in 1958.
The Yankees finished 10-0 at Camden Yards and still have four games remaining against the Orioles this season, all next week in New York. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it’s the 14th time in MLB history that a team has gone 10-0 or better on the road against a single opponent, and the first time since the 2002 Red Sox went 10-0 at the Tampa Bay Rays.
On Monday, the Yankees established a record by hitting their 32nd home run at Camden this season. That was the highest total by a visiting team at any stadium in one season, breaking the old record of 29, held by the 1957 Braves (at Cincinnati’s former Crosley Field).
They’ve only added to it since.
Leading the barrage for New York is infielder Gleyber Torres, who has launched 10 of his 23 homers this season against the Birds. Nine of catcher Gary Sanchez‘s 24 home runs have been at Baltimore’s expense, while more than half of outfielder Clint Frazier’s 11 dingers (six) have come versus the O’s.
The Yankees slugged 17 home runs in their three-game sweep of the Orioles, hitting five on Monday and six on Tuesday. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, they’re the second team in MLB history to hit five or more homers in three straight games, joining the 1977 Red Sox, who did it against the Yankees at Fenway Park.
Going yard against Baltimore is nothing new.
Orioles hurlers have surrendered 234 home runs, most in the majors and 34 more than the next-closest club (Seattle). They are on pace to finish the season with 332 homers allowed, which would shatter the record of 258, currently held by the 2016 Cincinnati Reds.
The Yankees now have hit 203 home runs this season, second in baseball behind the Minnesota Twins (224).
Overall, MLB home run numbers have spiked this season. Through Tuesday’s games, 3.6% of all plate appearances had resulted in a round-tripper, up from 3.0% a year ago. In 2017, MLB hitters collectively posted a 3.3% home run rate that was the highest in league history.
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