NEW YORK _ A daunting first road trip that was always going to test the Orioles ended Sunday with a second signature win of the weekend, an 8-7, 12-inning victory over the New York Yankees.
After playing 14 innings and winning on a grand slam by Pedro Alvarez on Friday night, Alvarez came off the bench and scored the winning run after walking in the top of the 12th, moving to second on a single by rookie right fielder Anthony Santander, and scoring when left fielder Craig Gentry won an 11-pitch at-bat and singled past the shortstop.
In the home half of the inning, closer Brad Brach walked two batters, committed an error trying to field a bunt to load the bases, then started a 1-2-5 double play on a chopper from Aaron Judge before striking out Giancarlo Stanton to clinch his second save of the season. The Orioles return home for a three-game set with Toronto at 4-6.
That it was even a contest, let alone one that would require extra innings, is a credit to the offense and the team's relief corps after Mike Wright Jr. allowed five runs while recording two outs before he was pulled in the first inning.
Once Wright assigned it as their afternoon's task, the comeback didn't take long to begin. Tim Beckham doubled to lead off the second inning and scored on a single by Santander. Jonathan Schoop led off the third inning with a single and, after he moved to second on a single by Adam Jones, scored on Beckham's second knock of the day.
A double play spoiled a promising fourth inning that began with a pair of baserunners, but after a one-out single by Jones in the fifth, designated hitter Danny Valencia crushed a 443-foot blast off lefty Jordan Montgomery to bring the Orioles to within one run at 5-4.
All the while, the Orioles bullpen was posting zeroes. Pedro Araujo allowed just one hit while striking out five in 2 1/3 innings. Miguel Castro pitched a scoreless fifth, but allowed a run in the sixth to put the Orioles back down 6-4. No matter. Gentry led off the sixth with a single, stole second base, and scored on a two-out single by Manny Machado.
After a clean sixth inning from Tanner Scott, Santander clobbered a 3-0 fastball over the right-field fence with Valencia on first base after a walk and put the Orioles ahead.
It was his first career home run, and the team's reward for giving the 23-year-old Rule 5 draft pick so much leeway to establish himself this season.
But Scott was asked for a second inning on the day he arrived, and the one-out single by Tyler Austin came around to score on an Austin Romine single off Darren O'Day.
From there, neither side mustered much as the shadows crept across the infield at Yankee Stadium and extra innings arrived.
With one out in the tenth, shortstop Didi Gregorius hit a fly ball to medium center field that Jones initially tracked, but lost in the sun. He waved his arms as it fell beside him, and Gregorius was on second base. With the outfield pulled in for Brett Gardner, a looping drive to left field turned Gentry around, but he sprawled to make the catch. The Orioles then walked Judge intentionally to get to Stanton, who grounded out on the next pitch.
Richard Bleier, who faced one batter and got a double play Saturday after pitching 1 2/3 innings Friday, gave the Orioles three shutout innings. The bullpen pitched 11 1/3 innings of relief, allowing two runs Sunday.
