'I'm still on vibrate': Unlikely closer nails down save vs. heart of Yanks lineup

BALTIMORE -- The adrenaline was still pumping for Jacob Webb as he stood at his locker inside the Orioles’ clubhouse following Tuesday's game. It’s not every night he goes up against four potent Yankees hitters -- Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres -- in a tight contest with the game on the line.

“I’m still on vibrate a little bit right now,” Webb said.

Understandable. Webb picked up Baltimore’s shorthanded bullpen by retiring all of Judge, Stanton, Rizzo and Torres, earning a four-out save to seal a 4-2 victory over New York at Camden Yards. It was the 30-year-old right-hander’s fifth career MLB save, but his first since joining the O’s last Aug. 9.

Closer Craig Kimbrel was unavailable for the second straight game due to upper back tightness. Primary setup men Yennier Cano and Danny Coulombe had pitched each of the previous two days. Manager Brandon Hyde had other heavily used relievers he preferred to not use.

Thankfully for the Orioles, they got seven innings of two-run ball from starter Dean Kremer. That led to left-hander Keegan Akin recording the first two outs of the eighth before Webb entered and closed it down.

“That’s what you call gutsy out of the 'pen. That’s two guys that pitched the eighth and ninth inning that were totally fatigued, and just totally stepped up -- bulldog mentality," Hyde said. "Just outstanding. Just shows you the kind of competitors both those guys are.”

Akin pitched twice during the three-game series vs. the A’s this past weekend, including a two-inning, 32-pitch outing on Sunday. Webb also pitched twice in that series, and he was up in the bullpen warming three times during Monday’s series-opening 2-0 win over the Yankees.

When Webb entered Tuesday, New York had a runner on first with Judge at the plate representing the tying run. The slugger worked the count full before swinging and missing at a low outside changeup from Webb for an inning-ending strikeout.

In the ninth, Webb struck out Stanton on three pitches, getting him to swing and miss at an outside sweeper in the dirt. Then, Webb also fanned Rizzo on three pitches, getting him to whiff on a 94.6 mph fastball up out of the strike zone.

Torres then grounded out to third as Webb completed his 11th scoreless outing in 15 appearances this season. He has a 2.03 ERA and hasn’t allowed more than one run in a game, all while keeping a simple approach.

“I’m trying to throw strikes and get guys out,” Webb said.

The matchup of starters went in Baltimore’s favor, as Kremer outdueled Nestor Cortes. The O’s knocked eight hits off the Yankees left-hander (a nemesis for them in past years), their most in 10 encounters with the southpaw.

The Orioles rallied for three runs against Cortes in the fourth, when James McCann hit a go-ahead RBI double before Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman added RBI singles. Rutschman, who extended his career-long hitting streak to 11 games, improved to 8-for-15 (.533) lifetime vs. Cortes.

Cortes allowed four runs in six innings, just as he did in his previous start vs. Baltimore on May 24, 2023, at Yankee Stadium (a game also won by the O’s, 9-6). The 29-year-old has given up eight earned runs over his past 12 innings vs. the Orioles after allowing only four earned runs in his previous 35 2/3 innings against them (a 1.01 ERA over six starts from 2021-23).

“We did a good job with our approach,” Hyde said. “I thought our at-bats were as good against him as they’ve ever been from a competitive standpoint. He’s a really good starting pitcher.”

Baltimore needed length from Kremer, and he provided it. The 28-year-old right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and four walks while notching four strikeouts. He had retired eight consecutive New York batters before Juan Soto’s 447-foot solo homer -- which landed on Eutaw Street -- with one out in the sixth.

“Every time any of us step out there, we’re trying to eat as many innings as possible,” Kremer said.

The Orioles (19-10) took back first place in the American League East by winning the first two matchups in their four-game set with the Yankees (19-12). The O’s also improved to 5-0 in divisional games this year.

It remains early, as Tuesday marked the final game of April. Still, the first two meetings between these AL East rivals have felt tense, with an engaged crowd involved until the final pitch.

So for Baltimore to take the first two games -- ensuring it will either win or split its 17th consecutive AL East series -- it’s a good feeling.

“We’re coming in here to do a job,” Webb said. “We’re battling against them every time, I feel like. There’s definitely more something behind it, you know what I mean? They’re the leading team, they’re the competing team that we’re trying to get after.”