^By RONALD BLUM=
^AP Baseball Writer=
NEW YORK (AP) _ Mark Trumbo hit a go-ahead single in a three-run 11th off Bryan Mitchell, who returned to the mound after an unusual inning at first base, and the Baltimore Orioles rebounded from another blown late lead to beat the New York Yankees 7-4 Sunday.
Didi Gregorius hit a two-run single off Donnie Hart with two outs in the ninth that tied the score 4-all. Logan Verrett (1-0), making his Orioles debut, escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th when he got Starlin Castro to hit ground into a forceout, with shortstop J.J. Hardy throwing home, then struck out hot-hitting rookie Aaron Judge.
Joey Ricard singled with one out in the 11th against Mitchell (1-1), stole second and, after an intentional walk, scored on Trumbo’s two-out single. Welington Castillo singled for a 6-4 lead, and Manny Machado got into a rundown and scored when third baseman Chase Headley bobbled the ball.
Verrett finished the 4-hour 37-minute marathon for the Orioles. New York stranded 16 runners and had its four-game winning streak end.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter was ejected in the ninth arguing a balk call that helped set up Gregorius’ tying single.
New York and Baltimore ended April tied for the AL East lead at 15-8. While the Orioles improved slightly from a 14-9 mark in the first month of last season, the retooled Yankees turned around from an 8-14 start in April last year.
Baltimore starter Wade Miley went to seven three-ball counts in the first three innings, when he threw 79 pitches and stranded seven runners. He walked five or more for the third time in five starts, allowing two runs, eight hits and five walks in five innings.
Miley allowed Matt Holliday’s 432-foot solo homer in the first, then struck out Headley to strand two runners. He escaped a second-and-third, no-outs jam in the second by fanning Kyle Higashioka, Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks, then left the bases loaded in the third when Chris Carter struck out and Higashioka popped out.
Adam Jones’ single tied the score in the third, when Jordan Montgomery struck out Trumbo to leave the bases loaded. Headley singled for a 2-1 lead in the bottom half before Miley escaped further trouble.
Montgomery walked Machado and Trumbo opening the sixth, and Castillo’s single loaded the bases. Trey Mancini tied the score when he grounded to third and Headley elected to throw to second for a possible double play rather than throw home. Jonathan Schoop doubled for a 3-2 lead, and Craig Gentry hit a run-scoring grounder.
STRANGE MOVE
Mitchell pitched the ninth and then moved to first base in the 10th inning, where he promptly allowed Castillo’s foul popup to fall for an error leading off. Mitchell, who had never played in the field other than at pitcher in his professional career, caught Schoop’s one-out foul pop, earning a standing ovation.
By playing first base, Mitchell stayed in the game and was able to return to the mound in the 11th.
LIGHTS OUT
The stadium lights were turned on in the middle of the 10th, prompting the Orioles to complain. Umpires ordered them off, and they were turned back on for the start of the 11th.
EYEBALLS
A winning record has translated to better television ratings for Yankees’ games on the YES Network.
New York’s telecasts on YES averaged 330,000 viewers in the New York designated market area through Friday, up from 237,000 in April last year (when Comcast did not carry YES) and 251,000 in April 2015. It is the highest viewership since an average of 341,000 in April 2014, Derek Jeter’s last season.
BYE BYE
Infielder Pete Kozma was claimed off waivers by Texas, two days after he was designated for assignment to open a roster spot when Gregorius came off the DL.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Chris Davis was removed from the starting lineup about an hour before gametime because of a sore right elbow _ he was 0 for 7 with five strikeouts since he was hit on the elbow Friday by a pitch from New York’s CC Sabathia. Davis played first in the 11th. … Closer Zach Britton, on the DL since April 16 with a strained left forearm, pitched a scoreless, one-hit inning Sunday in his second rehab appearance for Double-A Bowie, throwing eight of 11 pitches for strikes.
Yankees: C Gary Sanchez, who hasn’t played since April 8 because of a strained right biceps, could be activated for the series at the Chicago Cubs starting Friday. Sanchez was on hand Sunday to distribute his bobblehead and is to start a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (3-1) starts Monday’s series opener at Boston and RHP Rick Porcello (1-3).
Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (2-1) is on the mound Monday against Toronto and RHP Marco Estrada (0-1).
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