NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Mark Reynolds hit two home runs Friday and Miguel Gonzalez threw seven shutout innings to bring Baltimore a 6-1 win over the New York Yankees.
The Orioles opened the key three-game series by moving within two games of the Yankees for the lead in the American League East. Baltimore has won six out of seven and went 18-9 during August.
Reynolds highlighted a three-run first inning with a two-run blast and added a solo homer in the ninth. J.J. Hardy also hit a solo shot for Baltimore in the sixth.
New York's only run came on a ninth-inning homer by Curtis Granderson.
Gonzalez (6-3) allowed four hits and struck out nine in a dominating performance.
The loss was charged to Hiroki Kuroda (12-10), who gave up four runs on eight hits in 8 1/3.
