BALTIMORE (AP) Dean Kremer pitched seven innings of two-run ball, Adley Rutschman extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the New York Yankees 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Baltimore won the first two games of a four-game series between the AL East’s top teams and opened a one-game AL East lead, the largest this season for the defending division champion.

Juan Soto hit a 447-foot homer and Austin Wells also had a solo drive for the Yankees, who have lost four of six and scored just two runs in the series.

Kremer (2-2) matched his longest outing this season, allowing four hits and striking out four. While he surrendered Wells’ leadoff homer in the third and Soto’s sixth-inning drive onto Eutaw Street beyond the right-field wall, he also induced three double-play grounders.

The right-hander has won back-to-back starts for the first time since last July 5 and 14. His outing also alleviated pressure on a taxed bullpen after Yennier Cano and Danny Coulombe had worked on back-to-back days, Craig Kimbrel has been bothered by back soreness.

“That was unbelievable, because we had very few guys I was going to pitch tonight,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “For him to battle, compete, mix, he’s just really turning into a really good starting pitcher since the second half of last year for me. He knows how to pitch now.”

Jacob Webb got four outs - including a strikeout of Aaron Judge that ended the eighth for his first save since joining the Orioles last season and the fifth of his big league career.

“It’s awesome to be able to come in and save the game anytime,” Webb said.

A night after going 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the Yankees went 0 for 1 as Judge grounded into an inning-ending forceout in the third.

“We’re putting the ball in play well, we’re having the right at bats,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We just have to break through. Especially when you’re playing a good team, you have to take advantage of some opportunities.”

Judge made his second straight start in left field -- the first two of his big league career.

Baltimore did much of its damage in a three-run fourth against Nestor Cortes (1-3). Jorge Mateo and James McCann doubled, Colton Cowser and Gunnar Henderson followed with infield singles, and Rutschman singled in front of a diving Soto in right for a 4-1 lead. All five hits came on the first or second pitch.

Rutschman had both of his hits against Cortes and improved to 8 for 15 against the left-hander.

Cortes allowed four runs in six innings and struck out five.

Anthony Santander scored the Orioles’ first run after he doubled to lead off the second. Second baseman Gleyber Torres hit him in the back when he tried to move up on Jordan Westburg’s grounder, and Santander scampered home as the ball rolled toward the third base dugout for Torres’ fourth error.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: New York traded INF Keiner Delgado to Pittsburgh to complete the March 29 deal that sent RHP JT Brubaker to the Yankees.

Orioles: Hyde said he is hopeful Kimbrel, who threw in the bullpen before the game, will be available to pitch Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Baltimore ace RHP Corbin Burnes (3-0, 2.55 ERA) faces New York RHP Luis Gil (1-1, 4.01) Wednesday night.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb