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BALTIMORE — For a team that’s remained firmly in the playoff picture even without its best player, the Yankees still rarely make it easy on themselves.
They have to scratch out runs on a regular basis and they’ve relied an awful lot on their top relievers.
But on 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 did they win a fourth straight game for the first time since the All-Star break, but they played about as complete a game as possible to finish off a sweep of the Orioles.
The 6-1 win at Camden Yards 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.
And the victory got them back to within 4 ½ games of first-place Tampa Bay and 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.
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A three-run third inning started with back-to-back singles by Jones and Austin Wells and was aided by a costly error.
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.
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.
Ryan Yarbrough tossed three scoreless innings, which allowed the Yankees to rest their high-leverage relievers.
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.
García also singled in the eighth his third hit of the night — and came around on a Jazz Chisholm Jr. triple.
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