Jasson Domínguez didn’t sugarcoat it. The rookie left fielder knew his defensive misplay in the first inning of the Yankees’ 9-7 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday night was a costly one. “I have no excuse,” Domínguez said. “That ball has to be caught 100 percent of the time.” With the Yankees a win away from clinching the American League East, the second-place Orioles jumped out to a 2-0 lead against Marcus Stroman when — with the bases loaded and no outs — Domínguez outran a Colton Cowser fly ball that fell in near the left-field line at Yankee Stadium. Officially ruled a single, the unlikely hit had an expected batting average of .070, according to Statcast. Domínguez said he lost sight of the ball as it hurtled toward the grass. “Going to the line here like that off a lefty [batter], where the ball’s slicing and it’s a windy night, that’s a challenging chance,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But one we’ve got to make.” Cowser stole second base and came home on Ryan Mountcastle’s one-out RBI single, capping the scoring in a three-run, six-hit first inning by Baltimore. That inning set the tone on a night the Yankees again failed to clinch the division by losing to Baltimore for a second consecutive night. It was the second game in less than a week in which a Domínguez defensive miscue loomed large. In Thursday’s 3-2 loss in Seattle, the 21-year-old dropped a bases-loaded fly ball during a three-run first inning by the Mariners. Domínguez also misjudged a ball in center field that fell in for a hit in last Wednesday’s 2-1 win in Seattle. Domínguez made only 58 minor-league appearances in left field, compared to 239 in center. He believes he will become more comfortable in left with more game reps. “I don’t think I’m that far,” Domínguez said. “I’ve been working almost every day in left field. Fungo. Shagging. Everything. I don’t think I’m that far.” Recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this month, the power-hitting Domínguez began Wednesday with a -2 fielding run value, a Statcast metric used to demonstrate a player’s defensive performance. Domínguez is splitting time in left field with Alex Verdugo, who boasts an above-average fielding run value of +3. Asked if the Yankees’ left-field job comes down to a debate between Domínguez’s offense and Verdugo’s defense, Boone said, “You’re kind of trying to take it all in.” “What gives you the best chance to win on a given night?” Boone said. “Trying to, obviously, give a good look to Jasson down the stretch. We know he’s capable out there.” Domínguez’s mistake Wednesday contributed to a rough outing by Stroman, who allowed six runs on 10 hits over 3.1 innings. Baltimore finished with 17 hits against four Yankees pitchers. Nestor Cortes was originally scheduled to start Wednesday, but in a surprise, the Yankees placed the left-hander on the 15-day injured list a few hours before the game with a left elbow flexor strain. Stroman, whom the Yankees moved to the bullpen this month, found out Tuesday night that he would get the start. It was the first start in 16 days for Stroman, who made one relief appearance during that stretch. The Long Island native now owns a 4.31 ERA in his first season with the Yankees. Orioles starter Zach Eflin, meanwhile, limited the Yankees to one run — Anthony Volpe’s second-inning RBI single — through the first four frames. Baltimore led, 8-1, going into the bottom of the fifth, but Juan Soto got two runs back for the Yankees with his 41st home run of the season. The Yankees were down, 9-3, going into the ninth, but Soto added a one-out RBI single, and Judge followed with a three-run home run. The homer – Judge’s 57th of the season – cut the deficit to two, but Austin Wells and Giancarlo Stanton both popped out to end the game. “The game’s over,” Soto said. “We’ve just got to take the good part of the game and forget about what happened and the results. Just forget about it and keep playing baseball.” The Yankees entered this week’s three-game series with a six-game lead over Baltimore in the division with six games left on the schedule. A win — or an Orioles loss — this week would wrap up the AL East for the Yankees. But the Yankees’ losses the last two nights have kept the champagne on ice, now with four games to go. They dropped Tuesday night’s series opener, 5-3, after Gleyber Torres got caught in a rundown to end a seventh-inning rally with Judge on deck. The Yankees clinched a playoff spot last week but, in addition to the division title, are still fighting for the best record in the AL and in the majors. Their next attempt at the AL East crown comes Thursday night, when a pair of former Cy Young Award winners are set to duel in the series finale. Gerrit Cole (7-5, 3.67 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Yankees, while Corbin Burnes (15-8, 2.95 ERA) is set to pitch for Baltimore. “We’re playing a great team that’s battled with us all year long, so it’s never gonna be easy,” Judge said. “No matter if the magic number is down to one or if it’s five, whatever. We’re gonna keep battling, do our thing and take care of business tomorrow.”