BALTIMORE — In his first start since “[throwing] my guts up for several hours” nine days ago, Ryan Weathers took a hurl at history.
Then, soon after the lefty’s no-hit bid ended in the seventh inning, the Yankees threw up on themselves.
Minutes after the no-hitter was wiped out, so was the Yankees’ lead, as Brent Headrick relieved Weathers and served up a three-run shot that lifted the Orioles to a 3-2 win on Monday night at Camden Yards.
In agonizing fashion, the Yankees (26-16) suffered their fourth straight loss, with their offense held in check once again after a quiet weekend in which they were swept by the Brewers.
The Yankees had outscored the Orioles (19-23) 39-10 in a four-game sweep in The Bronx earlier this month, but could not pick up where they left off, mustering only five hits against Brandon Young and three relievers.
Even after Adley Rutschman broke up Weathers’ no-hit bid with a single to lead off the seventh, the Yankees still looked to be in the driver’s seat with a 2-0 lead.
But one out later, Weathers issued a walk on his 101st and final pitch of the night, at which point Aaron Boone called on Headrick.
The lefty has been one of the Yankees’ most dependable relievers this season, but gave up his first home run of the year on Saturday in Milwaukee and then made it two on Monday.
Headrick left a 1-1 slider over the heart of the plate and Coby Mayo did not miss it, tucking it just inside the left field foul pole for the three-run shot that flipped the game.
It marked the first inherited runners Headrick allowed to score this season after starting the year by stranding 14, which led the majors.
The wild turn of events put a damper on an otherwise strong night for Weathers, who struck out nine and walked three across 6 ⅓ innings.
Six of those strikeouts came on his changeup, which fooled the Orioles for most of the night before Rutschman roped one through the open right side to lead off the seventh inning.
Weathers, who at one point struck out five straight batters, is trying to prove he should keep his spot in the rotation with Gerrit Cole’s return from the injured list looming, potentially by the end of the month.
The battle is expected to come down between Weathers and Will Warren, who starts Tuesday.
The Yankees’ only source of offense came from Ben Rice, who broke out of a mini-skid with a two-run shot in the third inning.
The slugging first baseman had gone 0-for-13 over the weekend in Milwaukee, his first three games back from missing four games with a left hand contusion.
But he snapped back into rhythm on Monday, going 2-for-4, including his 13th home run of the year, which went to the opposite field off Orioles righty Brandon Young and put the Yankees ahead 2-0.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
