NEW YORK — The Yankees’ Italian Connection produced some big-time power on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Anthony Rizzo enjoyed the first three-home run game of his career, driving in six runs, and Joey Gallo belted his first long ball of the season as the Bombers outslugged the Orioles, 12-8, for their fourth straight victory.
Rizzo cracked a three-run home run in the third inning and added a two-run shot in the fifth — both off Baltimore starter Jordan Lyles. Rizzo then clanged a drive off the right-field foul pole facing Alexander Wells in the eighth. Rizzo’s eight home runs lead the Majors, and he is the 33rd Yankee to hit three or more homers in a single game (24th in the regular season).
Aaron Judge joined in the power party with a solo home run in the eighth inning on his 30th birthday, his fourth homer of the year.
Gallo has struggled mightily in the early going this season, and he briefly received the silent treatment from his teammates after slugging a two-run blast in the fourth inning, then laughed once he was finally embraced. Gallo’s drive came off his bat at 110.4 mph and flew a projected 426 feet, according to Statcast. The ball came to rest in the left-center-field loading dock.
Of the 30 Major League stadiums, Rizzo’s wall-scraping first home run (346 feet) would have been a homer only at Yankee Stadium, according to Statcast. His second drive, calculated at 378 feet, would have cleared the walls at 20 of 30 parks.
The power display helped to support right-hander Luis Severino, who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Jorge Mateo snapped the bid with a one-out single. Anthony Santander hit a three-run homer off Severino, who was charged with four runs on three hits over six-plus frames.
Gleyber Torres provided insurance runs in the seventh inning with a three-run triple.