Orioles can’t keep up with AL-leading Yankees in 7-2 loss to open series

It’s only May, but Baltimore’s starting rotation is already in a difficult position. With Zach Eflin out for the season and Dean Kremer and Rogers on the 15-day IL, the Orioles are turning to Povich and Brandon Young. They both have struggled to begin their young big league careers, but impressed in their first few outings. Then Young allowed 10 runs (seven earned) in four innings in Thursday’s Game 2 loss to the Astros, and Povich couldn’t stem the tide Friday, allowing five runs in four innings.

The biggest swing of the evening for the Orioles came from none other than former New York superstar Pete Alonso. While it’s Yankee Stadium and not the Mets’ Citi Field, Friday was still Alonso’s first game back in the Big Apple. He announced his homecoming with a solo homer — the fifth long ball of his first season with Baltimore — to briefly tie the game before the Yankees’ outburst in the second inning.

Baltimore’s bats would record only two more hits the rest of the night.

Their best chance was in the seventh inning. The Orioles bounced Warren, who lowered his ERA to 2.39 in a rotation that’s been MLB’s best this season, after Alonso walked and Samuel Basallo singled. But reliever Fernando Cruz limited the damage, getting Beavers to hit an RBI groundout and Leody Taveras to fly out.

Albert Suárez, who joined the club Friday after closer Ryan Helsley went on the IL with an elbow injury, provided critical long relief, pitching 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball. The lone run he allowed was on an Amed Rosario single in the seventh. Tyler Wells then gave up the final run of the game in the eighth on a Judge single. Six of New York’s seven runs were scored with two outs.

The Orioles and Yankees have a quick turnaround with a day game on Saturday. Baltimore’s best chance for a win this weekend is perhaps Saturday with Kyle Bradish on the mound against Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers.