Gleyber joins DiMaggio in Yankee history

BALTIMORE -- Gleyber Torres remembered. When the promising Yankees infielder celebrated his second multi-homer game in the big leagues on Aug. 1, the blasts had come off Alex Cobb and Mike Wright of the Orioles. Those same pitchers served up home runs in Thursday's memorable performance.

Torres' two homers highlighted the first four-hit performance of his young career, sparking the Yankees to an 8-4 victory that spoiled Baltimore's home opener at Camden Yards. Torres hit a solo blast off Cobb in the third inning, then added a go-ahead, three-run shot off Wright in the sixth.

"The same guys. I remember," Torres said. "I think it's just weird. I do my job. I know the pitchers already, so I just try to look at what I want to hit and do damage."

The Yankees have been searching for someone to lift their early-season malaise, and they would be thrilled if that can be the 22-year-old Torres, part of the second wave of "Baby Bombers" who helped the club to 100 victories and a postseason appearance last year.

"We were fired up, because we've had our opportunities and just haven't been able to cash in," manager Aaron Boone said. "To finally get a big one there, I think in the dugout there was some emotion and some energy that that brought. It was good to see us be able to add on."

Also notching a fifth-inning double off Cobb and a single off Mychal Givens in the eighth, Torres became the youngest Yankee to have three extra-base hits in a four-hit performance since Joe DiMaggio accomplished the feat on June 28, 1936, against the St. Louis Browns (21 years, 216 days).

"Gleyber Day. It's impressive," Aaron Judge said. "He can use the whole field and uses it with power, especially for a guy who plays second and shortstop. He can hit homers to left field and spray doubles on the right-field line. It's impressive what he can do at such a young age."

The deciding homer came after Torres could not wait to get to the batter's box -- quite literally. When a Wright offering sailed high and away to DJ LeMahieu, Torres reacted as though he thought the at-bat was over, applying pine tar to his bat and beginning his strut to home plate.

Spotting LeMahieu still standing at home plate with a full count, Torres halted abruptly and gave a comical glance toward a teammate in the third-base dugout, appearing to say, "I want to hit, oh yeah."

"I feel happy," Torres said. "I think I did a really good job today to help my team. I think that's the best part of today. I tried to feel comfortable. The first series in New York was so cold; it's not that easy when the weather is like that. Today, I felt really good every at-bat and just tried to get my chance and help my team."

"Gleyber can hit a heater, always has," said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. "He had a great game today."

Gary Sanchez and Luke Voit also went deep, as all of the Yankees' runs scored via homers. Sanchez slugged a sixth-inning solo blast that chased Cobb, and Voit smashed a three-run shot in the ninth.

"I kind of kidded around earlier today: I'm like, 'I'm officially taking my bat off the IL today,'" said Voit, who had been 2-for-18 with seven strikeouts since homering in his first at-bat of the year. "I finally just had to smile and be Luke Voit again. It felt good to get that relief."

The power display took James Paxton off the hook after the left-hander faltered early in his second start for New York, then settled in. Baltimore touched Paxton for three runs in the first inning, as Jonathan Villar cracked a leadoff homer before a balk and wild pitch also led to runs.

Renato Nunez knocked a fifth-inning RBI single off Paxton that put the O's up, 4-1, at the time. Paxton worked 5 1/3 innings, permitting four runs and eight hits, walking two and striking out nine.

"It was a really rough first inning," Paxton said. "I need to do a better job than that. It wasn't good. The good part was I was able to come back and keep the team in the game and continue to battle."

While with the Mariners last season, Paxton saw glimpses of the touted Torres, who was on his way to finishing third in the American League Rookie of the Year chase. The hurler was impressed then, and said that he has grown even more so now that they share a clubhouse.

"A talented player. He can do it all," Paxton said. "He hits really well and plays great defense. Overall, he's a really good player. And now that I know him, a great guy."