Loading ...The New York Yankees took the first game of the divisional series, 7-2 against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Russell Martin started the five run top of the ninth with a solo shot against Orioles closer Jim Johnson, who has been as close to automatic this year as any closer in the league, imploded and got the loss. In a tie 2-2 game Martin broke the tie and opened the flood gates with consecutive singles by Raul Ibanez and Derek Jeter. Ichiro Suzuki would hit a soft ground ball to Johnson scoring pinch runner Eduardo Nunez from third making it 4-2. After Alex Rodriguez struck out for the third time, Robinson Cano would double home Jeter and Suzuki extending the lead to 6-2. Nick Swisher would get a sacrifice fly to plate Cano, who advanced to third on a J.J. Hardy throwing error, to complete the scoring.
Yankees' starter C.C. Sabathia was on his game commanding the fastball and throwing change-ups that kept the Orioles off balance all night. The two runs he gave up in the bottom of third were on a soft single by Nate McClouth to give Baltimore the 2-1 lead. Sabathia, who had to wait out a two hour and 26 minute rain delay, threw 80 pitches of his 120 for strikes and gave up only the two runs scattering eight hits over 8 2/3 innings walking one and striking out seven on a cool fall night. Sabathia staved off two other Baltimore rallys in the fifth and sixth innings.
New York actually had Orioles' pitcher Jason Hammel on the ropes, but made a couple of base running errors which cost them. Suzuki was thrown out at third with no outs in the first and Mark Teixeira hit one off the right field wall in the fourth, but got thrown out at second trying to extend it into a double. Against relievers Troy Patton and Darren O'Day the Yankees left runners on in the sixth and seventh innings. Curtis Granderson flied out with two on in the sixth and Martin got thrown out at the plate in seventh.
Hammel threw 112 pitches in 5 2/3 innings allowing two runs on five hits and striking out five.
David Robertson struck out one batter in the ninth to end the game.
Tonight two lefties will be on the mound with Andy Pettitte on the bump for New York and Wei-Yin Chen going for Baltimore in the 8:00 p.m. ET start.
Game Notes
Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki keep setting the table in the Yankees lineup going a combined 4-for-9 with three runs scored and two RBIs.
Nick Swisher, who has struggled in the post season, went 1-for-2 with two walks one hit and one RBI. Another struggling Yankee Mark Teixeira went 2-for-4 with an RBI and walk.
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