Gerrit Cole, trade deadline pickups come up big in Yankees’ impressive win over Orioles

· New York Post

BALTIMORE — As the regular season approaches the final month, it’s becoming even more clear that the Yankees and Rays remain the best teams in a historically weak American League.

Whether the Yankees have enough firepower to catch Tampa Bay will be determined over the next six weeks, but the Yankees closed this road trip in style.

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They won their fourth straight Thursday, completing a sweep at Camden Yards with a convincing 6-1 victory over the Orioles.

Even as they’ve remained firmly in the playoff picture without their best player, the Yankees still rarely make it easy on themselves, scratching out runs and relying extensively on their rotation and top relievers.

But Thursday, as they seemingly got some potentially positive news on Aaron Judge, they also looked like a team that’s poised for a strong finish.

Not only do they have their longest winning streak since before the All-Star break, they played about as complete a game as possible to finish a sweep of the Orioles.

Thursday’s win featured a sterling effort from Gerrit Cole, contributions from two trade deadline acquisitions — Heliot Ramos and Luis García Jr. — who have mostly slumped since getting to the Yankees, as well as an opposite-field homer by Spencer Jones.

Luis Garcia Jr. looks up to the sky after belting a solo homer in the sixth inning of the Yankees’ 6-1 win over the Orioles on Aug. 20, 2026 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. AP

They got back to within four games of first-place Tampa Bay and moved to four games up on the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL wild-card race.

Against right-hander Kyle Bradish — who tossed six shutout innings against the Yankees in May — the lineup this time had more success, as the Yankees scored at least five runs in consecutive games for the first time since July 9-10.

“It was good to get some cushion,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “We got the lead and were able to add to it.”

A three-run third inning started with back-to-back singles by Jones and Austin Wells and was aided by a costly error.

Heliot Ramos rips an RBI double in the third inning of the Yankees’ win over the Orioles. Getty Images

With runners on the corners, José Caballero hit a potential double-play ball, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped Jackson Holliday’s throw from second.

Jones scored on the play, and the Orioles failed to record an out.

Trent Grisham then grounded into a double play, but Ben Rice singled in a run and Ramos — just 2-for-33 in his previous 10 games — delivered a double to make it 3-0.

Gerrit Cole held the Orioles to one run over six innings for his seventh win of the season. Getty Images

Cole, after allowing a one-out single to Pete Alonso in the first, retired 11 straight batters before Dylan Beavers took him deep to start the bottom of the fifth.

That was the only blemish for Cole, who struck out eight in six innings to pass Roger Clemens for 12th all time in franchise history.

Ryan Yarbrough finished the game with three scoreless innings, which allowed the Yankees to rest their high-leverage relievers.

Cole and Yarbrough had some breathing room in part because García opened the sixth with a homer, his 25th of the season and second with the Yankees.

Jones went the other way with two outs in the inning for his sixth home run.

It was the rookie’s first homer since he went deep in back-to-back games three weeks ago.

Ben Rice rips an RBI single in the third inning of the Yankees’ win over the Orioles. Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Jones attributed the three-hit night to adjustments he made with his timing — and the knowledge he’s been getting regular playing time for most of the month.

With Cody Bellinger due to return from a strained hamstring in the coming days — and Ramos not going anywhere — Jones may end up back in the minors, but as Boone noted, the lefty swinger has the ability to “leave any part of the ballpark.”

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After dropping three in a row earlier in the trip, the Yankees head back to The Bronx to open a 10-game homestand Friday against the Blue Jays.