NEW YORK — Max Fried was not at his sharpest. A pickoff attempt cost the Yankees one of their best hitters. Baltimore rookie Trey Gibson held his own through most of the afternoon.
None of it mattered. Not even a little.
The New York Yankees absorbed every imperfection and hammered the Orioles 11-3 on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. It was their 13th win in 15 games. Their eighth straight over Baltimore. This lineup is dangerous. And it is not slowing down.
Rice and Judge set the tone early
Ben Rice was the first to strike. He led off the first inning against Gibson, who was making his major league debut. Rice pulled a solo homer into the seats. It was his 12th of the season. The Yankees were on the board early.
Aaron Judge added more in the third. He first robbed Taylor Ward of extra bases with a leaping catch against the right-field wall. Then Judge stepped up and hit a two-run homer off Gibson. It was his 13th of the year. That tied Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox for the major league lead.
That early cushion felt comfortable. Then the Yankees almost let it slip.
Fried labors, bullpen locks it down
Fried was not the dominant version he had shown in recent starts. His changeup command was inconsistent. Baltimore chipped away. The Orioles scored three times in the fourth. Blaze Alexander hit an RBI single. Leody Taveras added a run-scoring infield hit. Tyler O’Neill scored on a double play grounder. Just like that, it was tied 3-3.
Fried departed in the sixth inning with two runners on base. He went 5 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs and six hits, struck out six and walked three. Fernando Cruz entered and stranded both runners. He earned the win, his third of the season.
Rice, meanwhile, did not return. The Yankees said the first baseman left with a bruised left hand after a pickoff throw from Fried caught him awkwardly in the third inning. X-rays came back negative and Rice is listed as day to day. The Yankees lost his bat but never lost their footing.
Dominguez ignites a seven-run eighth
The game was tied 3-3 when Dominguez stepped in during the sixth. It was just his fifth game since returning from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He ripped a double to left off Grant Wolfram. The ball rolled past third baseman Weston Wilson and reached the warning track. Dominguez then scored the go-ahead run. Ryan McMahon hit a grounder to first. Orioles first baseman Coby Mayo could not handle it cleanly. Yankees 4, Orioles 3.
That lead held. Then the eighth inning changed everything.
The Yankees sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled to put two runners on. Dominguez then jumped on a pitch from reliever Andrew Kittredge. He drove it into the right-field seats for a two-run homer. It was his first since Aug. 25, 2025, against Washington. Dominguez capped the inning with another double.
Paul Goldschmidt added a two-run single. Trent Grisham and Chisholm each came through with sacrifice flies. Seven runs, five hits, one statement.
Boone: ‘A lot of ways to beat’
Manager Aaron Boone was asked what has been driving the Yankees’ run of dominance. He did not point to power alone. He talked about a team with multiple ways to win.
“It just feels like guys are in a good place and we have a lot of ways to beat you,” Boone said. “I like the fact guys are doing the little things. To win in different ways is nice.”
The numbers back him up. The Yankees entered Sunday with the AL’s best record at 23-10. They extended that mark to 24-10 while also claiming an eighth consecutive win over Baltimore, a run that has underscored their dominance of a division rival that won the AL pennant not long ago.
Historical footnote and a series to close
Gibson, the Baltimore starter, turned in a solid debut. He gave up four hits in 4 2/3 innings and allowed just three runs. His appearance also made history. He became the first pitcher to make his major league debut for the Orioles at Yankee Stadium since the franchise left St. Louis after the 1953 season.
The loss dropped Baltimore to 4-12 over its last 18 games. Gunnar Henderson was kept out of the starting lineup for the first time this season, with the Orioles choosing to field nine right-handed hitters against the left-handed Fried.
The Yankees and Orioles close their four-game series Monday. Right-hander Cam Schlittler gets the ball for New York. He is 4-1 with a 1.51 ERA. Baltimore counters with Shane Baz, who is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA.
A sweep is one win away. The Yankees have shown no sign of slowing down. This offense is a warning to every team in the American League.
What do you think about Dominguez’s breakout? Will it continue?
