BALTIMORE � As his Yankees teammates kept launching home runs, Gleyber Torres was in the process of going 0-for-7 over two games at Camden Yards.
That should have been a sign that something was amiss.
After Torres struck out in Tuesday's third inning, he was replaced defensively at second base by Breyvic Valera. The cause was "core pain" according to the club's medical staff, the same reason Torres exited Sunday night's game.
Now, the Yankees can only hope that Torres can avoid a trip to the injured list, though Aaron Boone's first-place club has been adept at finding a way to thrive despite losing star after star player.
It happened again in Tuesday night's 9-4 win against the Orioles, with backup catcher Austin Romine driving in three runs and hitting one of the Yankees' four home runs.
In the third inning, the Yankees belted three solo homers in the span of four batters against Orioles starter Asher Wojciechowski.
Mike Tauchman and D.J. LeMahieu connected back to back. And after Aaron Judge struck out, Didi Gregorius launched one onto Eutaw Street.
It was the third shot this year � and the first by an Orioles opponent _ to land on the boulevard between the old B&O Warehouse and the high right field wall.
Curtis Granderson had been the last Yankee to send one to Eutaw Street, in 2013.
All told, the Yankees' 38 homers in nine games this year at Camden Yards extended their MLB record _ established one night earlier _ for homers by a visiting club at any ballpark in a single season.
And they have one more game to go.
Defensively in left field, Tauchman's perfectly timed, leaping catch at the wall robbed Pedro Severino of a leadoff homer in the fourth.
In the Yankees' top of the fourth, Mike Ford's double � off the head off O's left fielder DJ Stewart � preceded Romine's two-run double.
In staggering after Ford's fly ball toward the line on a wet track (the game was delayed 72 minutes at the start), Stewart fell and the ball landed squarely on his left temple.
Stewart exited the game an inning later.
In right field, Judge's awkward route on Trey Mancini's drive turned a warning track fly ball into two-out double, setting up Anthony Santander's two-run homer off Stephen Tarpley, cutting the Yankees' lead to 5-4.
Romine's leadoff homer in the sixth, his second solo shot in two nights, restored an insurance run.
In the ninth, Brett Gardner and Cameron Maybin went back-to-back with solo shots, giving the Yankees six home runs on Tuesday, on the heels of Monday's five-homer night.
And the Yankees were able to bullpen their way to a seventh-straight win, starting with Jonathan Holder and ending with Adam Ottavino.
Entering this series, Torres had hit seven of his 23 home runs this year at Camden Yards.
But he hadn't looked right since exiting Sunday's game against Boston after seven innings, due to core discomfort.
Torres later described it as a "weird" feeling in his right abdominal area.
In New York on Sunday night, Torres was taken to a hospital and went through a battery of tests before joining the Yankees travel party for their flight to Baltimore.
On Monday night, Torres served as the designated hitter in the cleanup spot and went 0-for-5 in the Yankees' 9-6 win.
He was back in the No. 4 lineup spot again on Tuesday night, going 0-for-2.
"I just feel really good today," Torres had said before the series opener. "I'm ready to play."
During a series of tests, Torres was cleared of having experienced a hernia or any injury related to the hip or groin.
Now, the Yankees could be in another next-man-up situation. At least, they have a nine-game lead in the AL East.
