BALTIMORE -- On a night where seven of the Yankees' starters were under the age of 30, 34-year-old Brett Gardner proved exactly why his name gets penciled into the starting lineup game after game in Monday's 10-2 win over the Orioles in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Camden Yards.
After a 5-4 loss in the opener, the Yankees fed off of Gardner's energy as the outfielder recorded his second four-hit game of the season, including a home run, and three RBIs to help New York split the twin bill.
"He's, in so many ways, our heartbeat," manager Aaron Boone said. "Obviously one of our leaders in that room. Just kind of the grit and the chip on his shoulder he plays with, he sets the tone."
Gardner immediately sparked the offense with a leadoff single in the first inning, before belting a no-doubt, two-run shot to right-center field in the fourth inning off Orioles starter Yefry Ramirez, staking the Yanks to a 3-0 lead.
The homer traveled a projected 426 feet -- Gardner's longest homer since Statcast™ was introduced in 2015. The Yankees are now 21-3 in games that Gardner has homered, dating to the beginning of the 2017 season.

"Game 1 was a close game," Gardner said. "I pinch-hit there at the end of the game. I wasn't able to come through, so to be able to turn the page, come back and have a good game in the nightcap, and have a relatively easy win and kind of save our pitching staff, our bullpen, I thought that was important."
However, Gardner's night was only just beginning. The longest-tenured Yankee picked up his third hit of the nightcap on a double down the right-field line -- his 197th career double that surpassed Hideki Matsui and Bobby Richardson for 30th place on the all-time franchise list. The double was also his 345th career extra-base hit, which ties Jason Giambi for 36th on the franchise list.
"I've been around for a while and have gotten to play with a lot of really great people and great players and learn from a lot of great players," Gardner said. "I said last year, all these young guys have me feeling young again, just trying to keep up with them and go out there and put together good at-bats, and get on base with those big guys."
Gardner's speed was on display in the eighth inning when he made a leaping grab against the center-field wall to rob Chance Sisco of an extra-base hit.

"I didn't [think I had a shot to catch it] to be honest," Gardner said. "I knew he hit it well, wasn't sure where it was going to land, but I was playing way over and way in with two strikes. Just put my head down and started running, and was able to catch up to it, just ran to the right spot, fortunately."
Gardner ended his evening legging out an infield single in the ninth, He is now hitting .409 (9-for-22) with five runs scored, one triple, two home runs and seven RBIs on this road trip.