BALTIMORE -- Nestor Cortes didn’t mind the heat. The Yankees lefty took the mound with a first-pitch temperature of 97 degrees and just went to work. Cortes gave the Bombers six scoreless innings as they rallied from a bad loss in a sweaty slog Saturday night to beat the Orioles 6-0 at Camden yards.
The Yankees won their second game of their five since the All-Star Break. They clinched the series and finished the season series with Baltimore 11-5. While the Dodgers passed the Yankees for the best record in baseball because of the loss to the Orioles Saturday night, they maintained the best record in the American League. That’s the Bombers goal for the second half of the season, staying ahead of the Astros, to het the home-field advantage in the playoffs.
In his first start after making his first All-Star appearance, Cortes scattered six hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out seven. It was the 15th of his 18 starts this season that he has allowed three earned runs or less, his fifth scoreless outing of the season. It was the second time this season he held the Orioles scoreless.
