Bombers Over Baltimore

4 Solo HRs top O's 6-1


With the growing onset of injuries this season the Yankees have become accustomed to play small ball to win. Yesterday they returned to their legacy slugging 4 solo home runs in a 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Combined with the Boston Red Sox loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays the Yankees now hold a 2 game advantage in the AL East. After being blanked with just 1 hit on Saturday, it took the Yankees only 2 batters to turn that all around.

Derek Jeter hit a Rodrigo Lopez pitch into the seats in right-center with one out in the top of the 1st to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. The last time Lopez and Jeter faced off in Camden Yards Lopez (8-12) hit Jeter with a pitch on the hand, causing the captain to miss 3 games. Yesterday was sweet revenge as Jeter smacked back with his 9th home run.

Johnny Damon led off the 3rd with his 15 home run of the season for a 2-0 advantage. Two batters later, Bobby Abreu picked up his 1st of 3 hits on the day, a single to left, and stole his 1st of two bases of the game as well. Jason Giambi brought him home with a double to right.

Jaret Wright struggled, but escaped jams in the first 3 innings. The Orioles left a man on third in both of the 1st two innings and left 2 men in scoring position in the 3rd. As Wright performed his Houdini act the Yankees tacked on more runs. Melky Cabrera belted his 5th home run in the 4th inning for a 4-0 lead.

The Orioles finally got to Wright in the bottom of the 4th on a Nick Markakis RBI single. But again the Orioles stranded a runner on 3rd with less than 2 outs. Jason Giambi got the run right back in the 5th when he long a home run into the centerfield bleachers. It was Giambi's 32nd HR of the season, matching last year's total.

Wright (8-6) threw 95 pitches in a 6 innings stint before turning the game over to Proctor. When Proctor got into a two-out, two-on jam in the 8th, manager Joe Torre went to his closer Mariano Rivera for a 4 out save. Rivera retired all 4 men he faced for his 28th save of the season and the 407th of his career.

Notes

Robinson Cano finished up his rehab assignment at Double-A Trenton Sunday and is expected to be activated for the 3 game series with the Chicago White Sox that starts tomorrow night.

Cano's activation comes just in time as Miguel Cairo is expected to miss 3 weeks after straining his left hamstring on Saturday. Nick Green will serve as the utility infielder for now.

17-year old hot prospect Jose Tabata return from the disabled list for Single-A Charleston on Friday, but had to be quickly removed from Saturday's game as he felt pain in his bruised thumb. Tabata had been DL'ed after being hit with a pitch.

Carl Pavano will throw a bullpen session today and if all goes well will start a rehab assignment for Single-A Tampa.