CC dominates as Yanks beat back O's

YANKEES 5, Orioles 2

After watching the final two games of their four game series in Cleveland get washed out, the Yankees were back in action Friday, and didn't lose a step,
defeating the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 at the Stadium to climb over .500.

CC Sabathia was the star of the evening for New York. The hefty lefty hurled eight innings of eight hit ball, giving up only two runs; he struck out nine. After a rough opening day start, Sabathia has had two brilliant starts in a row to get to 2-1 on the season and lower his ERA under three.

Offensively, the Yankees bats remained hot. In the third inning, the Yankees tied the game at one on a RBI single by Kevin Youkilis, his seventh RBI of the season. Youk went 3-for-3 on Friday, and is hitting .421 in his new digs in the Bronx.

Robinson Cano, who had a monster series in Cleveland, drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth, on a single up the middle to make it 2-1 Yankees.

Later with the game tied at two, the Baltimore bullpen imploded allowing the Yankees to come back to take the lead for good. Francisco Cervelli walked, Youkilis was intentionally walked, and Travis Hafner was hit by a pitch to load 'em up. Next Vernon Wells popped up to center field in what should have been an lazy fly out, but, the usually sure-handed Adam Jones couldn't handle the ball, allowing all three runners to score and allowing Wells to move to second.

While it wasn't a conventional way to win, it's a win anyway. The Yankees are now over .500, and believe it or not, have a share of first place in the AL East.

Comments