Yankees Sweep Orioles, Widen Winning Streak to Nine Straight
May 21, 2009 · A.J. Martelli · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Winning in the Bronx seems to have become an everyday thing as the New York Yankees broke out the brooms and swept the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night, beating them by a score of 7-4, and extending their winning streak to nine games.
Their nine-game winning streak is the most games the Yankees have consecutively won under manager Joe Girardi, topping their winning streak of eight games in 2008.
The Yankees struck first and scored six of their seven runs in the first two innings.
Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, and Mark Teixeira began the Yanks’ offense in the bottom of the first with three consecutive doubles, and Melky Cabrera also added a double of his own in the frame, knocking in four runs and giving the Yanks a 4-0 lead after one inning.
In the bottom half of the second inning, Cano smacked his eighth homer of the year into the right field porch, a two-run blast to put the Yankees ahead, 6-0.
“I feel great, these last few games I have just gotten hits when we need them,” Cano said to the media after the game. “It doesn’t matter where I am hitting in the lineup as long as I’m there.”
Cano was plugged into the No. 2 hole in place of the regular No. 2 two hitter Johnny Damon, who had the night off.
Hideki Matsui topped the Yankees’ offense in the bottom of the fifth, clubbing a long home run into the second deck in right field, a blast good for his fifth homer of the year.
Joba Chamberlain started for the Yankees, but would not last long. A mere two outs into his start, Adam Jones ripped a line drive off Chamberlain’s knee cap, a shot that would chase him from the game.
Chamberlain pitched to Nick Markakis and Aubrey Huff after getting hit, and then was taken out of the game because of the injury.
X-rays on Chamberlain after the game were negative, but he was diagnosed with a bruised right knee.
Girardi is unsure as to whether or not Chamberlain will start his next game.
“He is day-to-day right now,” he said after the game. “We won’t really know if he’s ready to go until the fifth day.”
The bullpen picked Chamberlain right up, however, and did a decent job of containing the Orioles’ offense.
Alfredo Aceves, Jonathan Albaladejo, Jose Veras, and Mariano Rivera pieced together the rest of the night for the Yankee pitching, and went a combined 8.1 innings.
Together the Yankee relievers gave up four earned runs on 10 hits, walked one, and struck out four.
“Aceves did a nice job, especially considering he worked last night,” Girardi noted. “The performance of the bullpen was really huge for us.”
The Orioles were able to cross the plate four times on the night, receiving solo home runs from Brian Roberts in the top of the fifth and Markakis in the top of the seventh.
Ty Wigginton also contributed with a two-run double in the top of the sixth, finishing the O’s scoring on the night.
Aceves picked up the win and moves up to 3-0 on the season.
Adam Eaton, who began the night for the O’s, takes the loss and falls to 2-5.
Veras recorded his third hold of the year while Rivera nailed down his ninth save.
Riding their winning streak, the Yankees will enter Memorial Day weekend with a 23-17 record.
They will host the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in a three-game, inter-league weekend series starting tomorrow night.
A.J. Burnett (2-1, 5.02 ERA) will look to keep the Yankees rolling and will face Brett Myers (3-2, 4.50 ERA) of the Phils.
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