Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins celebrates with Austin Hays after they scored on a home run by Hays against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning Thursday in New York. Frank Franklin II/Associated Press
NEW YORK — Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer to spark a six-run second inning, Gunnar Henderson reached base four times and the Baltimore Orioles knocked out rookie pitcher Luis Gil early in a 17-5 rout of the New York Yankees on Thursday.
On a 90-degree day, the Orioles improved to 5-2 against the Yankees and set a major league record by winning their 22nd straight series against an AL East opponent. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles surpassed the mark set by the Atlanta Braves (1998-2000), Milwaukee Brewers (1991-92) and Cincinnati Reds (1975, 1969-1970).
Henderson doubled twice among his three hits to extend the majors’ longest active on-base streak to 27 games and his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. He also added an RBI groundout in the sixth.
Ryan Mountcastle had a bases-clearing double and an RBI single in the ninth off New York catcher Jose Trevino. Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer for his MLB-best 10th homer this month as the Orioles moved to within a half-game of first-place New York.
Gil allowed seven runs and eight hits in a career-low 1 1/3 innings.
• Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres left in the fifth inning because of tightness in his right groin.
Torres committed his major-league leading 11th error when he failed to field a grounder by Jordan Westburg in the top of the fifth.
“It just started to tighten up on him and I think just being cautious with it, kind of getting him out there” Manager Aaron Boone said. “I don’t expect it to be anything major.”
A free agent at the end of the season, Torres has struggled this year. He hit his seventh homer in the second inning and is batting .221 with 28 RBI.
Last season, Torres batted .273 with 25 homers and 68 RBI in a career-high 158 games as the Yankees finished with an 82-80 record – their worst mark since going 76-86 in 1992.
GUARDIANS 6, MARINERS 3: Andrés Giménez hit a two-run homer and Will Brennan had a pair of solo shots, lifting American League Central-leading Cleveland to a win at home.
ASTROS 5, WHITE SOX 3: Yordan Alvarez homered in the first inning and drove in a run during a four-run seventh as Houston rallied past visiting Chicago.
RAYS 7, TWINS 6: Jonny DeLuca’s line-drive single to center field in the 10th inning and a mammoth throw from center fielder Jose Siri allowed Tampa Bay to overcome a blown four-run lead to beat host Minnesota.
Ninth-inning home runs by Jose Miranda and Carlos Santana had erased a 6-2 deficit before DeLuca connected on reliever Griffin Jax’s sinker to score the automatic runner and give the Rays the lead for good. Tampa Bay (36-39) improved to a Major League-best 26-11 in games decided by two runs or fewer.
In the bottom of the extra inning, Siri caught pinch-hitter Carlos Correa’s fly-out to center field and then gunned down Royce Lewis at third for a double play.
ROYALS 3, ATHLETICS 2: Freddy Fermin homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth inning as visiting Kansas City beat Oakland to avoid a three-game sweep.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
DODGERS 5, ROCKIES 3: Shohei Ohtani led off the game with his 21st homer of the season, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back homers in the fourth inning, and Los Angeles won at Denver.
Ohtani’s homer was his fourth in five games, and Smith and Freeman each hit their 11th for a 5-0 lead off Ty Blach (3-5) to help the Dodgers take three of four from the Rockies.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, NATIONALS 2: Ryne Nelson pitched seven efficient innings, Christian Walker hit his team-high 17th home run in the eighth inning, and Arizona won at Washington
NOTES
YANKEES: Looking for bullpen help, the New York Yankees signed left-hander Tim Hill, two days after he was released by the majors-worst Chicago White Sox.
A 34-year-old with a sidearm delivery, Hill went 1-0 with a 5.87 ERA in 27 appearances with the White Sox, who designated him for assignment on June 12 and released him Tuesday. He struck out 13 batters in 23 innings..
A spot in the Yankees’ bullpen opened up when New York optioned left-hander Anthony Misiewicz to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Wednesday night’s 7-6, 10-inning loss to the Orioles. Misiewicz pitched a scoreless ninth, allowing Baltimore to load the bases with one out before working out of the jam.
The Yankees designated left-hander Clayton Andrews for assignment to make room for Hill on their 40-man roster.
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