NEW YORK _ A disappointed Jordan Montgomery stood in the clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium late on the night of May 18 and was resolute.
"I know," the rookie left-hander said, "I'm better than these outings."
He had allowed five runs in five innings in that loss to the Royals, falling to 2-3 with a 4.81 ERA and sending social media speculation soaring regarding the security of his rotation spot.
Montgomery has been true to his word, turning in a fourth straight stellar outing Friday night and all but silencing such speculation. Backed by two home runs from Aaron Hicks, Montgomery struck out eight in seven innings _ both career highs _ in an 8-2 victory over the Orioles in front of a sellout crowd of 46,031 at Yankee Stadium.
The victory allowed the AL East-leading Yankees (35-23) to match their high-water mark of 12 games over .500 (they were 21-9 on May 8) and remain three games ahead of the second-place Red Sox. The Yankees moved 41/2 games ahead of the Orioles.
Hicks, moved to second in the order Wednesday night, snapped a 2-2 tie with a leadoff homer off Dylan Bundy in the sixth inning that landed in The Judge's Chambers in right. Hicks' two-out, two-run shot into the second deck in right off Edwin Jackson in the seventh made it 5-2 and gave him 10 homers.
"He continues to shine," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He's been huge for us."
Aaron Judge then walked and scored on Matt Holliday's double for a 6-2 lead. Austin Romine's two-run single off Stefan Crichton in the eighth made it 8-2.
Montgomery, 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA in his three previous starts, allowed two runs _ a two-run homer by Jonathan Schoop in the second that gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead _ five hits and a walk. Schoop hammered a changeup that did nothing except land in the left-center field bleachers in a hurry for Schoop's 11th homer.
"They're a good-hitting team, especially hitting fastballs," Montgomery said. "So you really have to mix, keep them in between speeds. That's what I was going out there trying to do today."
The Yankees tied it in the bottom half as Starlin Castro led off with his 10th homer, Gary Sanchez doubled and Chase Headley drove him in with a sacrifice fly. Montgomery cruised from there.
After Ruben Tejada's one-out single in the second, Montgomery retired eight straight, a string Tejada broke with a leadoff double in fifth. Montgomery, whose slider and curveball were particularly good Friday night, then retired nine straight, making it 17 of 18 retired to end his night.
Joey Rickard bunted Tejada to third in the fifth, but Trey Mancini lined to Didi Gregorius and Adam Jones struck out swinging to keep the score tied.
Montgomery started his night by striking out leadoff man Joey Rickard on three pitches, getting the call on a 0-and-2 curveball for a called third strike, and Trey Mancini swinging at a 85-mph changeup. Adam Jones lined a 0-and-2 fastball to center for a single and Montgomery struck out Mark Trumbo swinging at a 0-and-2 curveball in the dirt to end the 15-pitch inning.
