MLB Game Recap - NY Yankees at Baltimore

Fri Apr 7, 2017 7:05 PM EDT

BALTIMORE (AP) Down by four runs, the Baltimore Orioles made up the deficit by employing their most effective weapon: the home run.

Manny Machado hit a three-run shot, leadoff hitter Seth Smith got into the act with a two-run drive and the Orioles rallied to beat the New York Yankees 6-5 Friday night.

Temperature at game time was 45 degrees, and a stiff wind made for a very chilly night at Camden Yards.

Perhaps that's why it took Baltimore's big bats a while to heat up.

Stymied by 23-year-old Luis Severino for four innings, the Orioles began to stir in the fifth. Machado's first home run of the season got Baltimore within a run at 5-4, and Smith completed the comeback in the seventh with a drive off Tyler Clippard (0-1).

Smith was obtained in an offseason trade because of his ability to get on base, but in this game he made the difference with the long ball.

Batting with a runner on third and New York's infield drawn in, Smith hit a 2-1 fastball over the right-field wall.

"You have a job to do there, especially late in the game. You want to make sure you do something to score that run," Smith said. "It won't always happen like that, but that's certainly what you're trying to do."

The inning started with Jonathan Schoop reaching on a throwing error by New York third baseman Chase Headley, a miscue that proved very costly.

"There's a lot of firepower in that lineup, and you've got to keep them off the bases," Headley said. "Unfortunately, I made a mistake."

Donnie Hart (1-0) earned his first major league victory by getting the final out in the New York seventh. Brad Brach struck out the side in the eighth and Zach Britton got three straight outs for his second save.

After sweeping Toronto in their opening series, the Orioles are 3-0 and alone atop the AL East.

Matt Holliday homered and had three RBIs for New York, Gary Sanchez hit a two-run drive and Brett Gardner had three hits and scored three runs.

Signed as a free agent in December, Holliday hit his first home run with the Yankees with a runner on in the third inning, and Sanchez connected in the fifth for a 5-1 lead. Both drives were off Ubaldo Jimenez.

Machado's home run ruined an otherwise effective outing by Severino, who was seeking his first win as a starter since September 2015. The right-hander was 0-8 with an 8.50 ERA in 11 starts last year.

"It's a tough loss, because I thought Seve really threw the ball pretty well tonight," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He made the one mistake to a really good hitter and he hit it out. It kind of changed the complexion of the game."

Severino was poised to get the victory until Smith went deep in the seventh. Those were the first runs scored against the New York bullpen in 15 innings this season.

HOT AND COLD CORNER

Headley committed two errors, but he also made two nice back-to-back catches in the sixth inning. After leaping to snare a drive by Welington Castillo, Headley dived to his left to rob Joey Rickard of a single.

TANAKA STAYS FOCUSED

Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka can opt out of his contract after this season, but he says that won't influence how he pitches in 2017 - even though he gave up a career-high seven earned runs on opening day.

"It doesn't affect me at all," he said through a translator. "I understand what the contract says, but it has nothing to do with how I perform out there on the mound."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: Minor league pitcher James Kaprielian underwent an MRI and dye-contrast MRI on his ailing right elbow and will be examined again in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

"You keep your fingers crossed," Girardi said of the team's 2015 first-round draft pick.

Orioles: RHP Chris Tillman left for Florida to continue his rehabilitation program for his sore right shoulder. He won't be ready to come off the DL until May.

UP NEXT

Yankees: Tanaka (0-1, 23.63 ERA) gets his second start Saturday. He's 1-1 with a 2.39 ERA lifetime versus Baltimore.

Orioles: Kevin Gausman (0-0, 3.38) seeks his first win after receiving a no decision on opening day against Toronto.

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