Virtual Baseball: Deivi Is Less, but Yanks Are More, Beat the Orioles Again, Take First Place!

The virtual Baltimore Orioles touched up Deivi Garcia early, but it mattered little to a New York Yankees team that steamed past the Birds, en route to a 9-4 victory.  It marked the 21st or 22nd or 23rd straight time the Yankees had bested Baltimore.

Garcia ran into trouble repeatedly but each time, like an old friend, D.J. Stewart was up there for the Orioles, and Garcia fanned him three times on a total of 10 pitches.

"You know, I was thinking, last week the Mets, they blew a big lead late in the game.  And I was thinking, maybe my pitch sequences weren't right, maybe Stewart would hit me," Garcia said—then collapsed into helpless laughter.  "No, no, sorry for all that bullshit.  The Mets, who cares what they do?  And D.J.  Stewart?"

The interview then ended in further gales of laughter.

For the Yanks, it was smooth sailing as Luke Voit, Sunday catcher Kyle Higashioka, Gleyber Torres (of course), and Aaron Judge all homered.

The win gave the Yanks sole possession of first place, with just 20 left to play.

"You know, I've had my doubts this whole season.  But this is a team that really wants to play," Ma Boone told reporters.  "I know this is a little premature, but I think it's smooth sailing from here on in.  I mean, what could possibly go wrong?"