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Yankees ALDS Game 5: CC goes the distance

Baltimore Orioles 1 — New York Yankees 3

 

In the winner-take-all game, CC Sabathia pitched a gem in tonight’s 3-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

 

The Yankees turned to CC Sabathia to give the Yankees the best chance to win and he came through. Sabathia didn’t allow his first run until the 8th inning as he would go the distance. In the first 3 innings, Sabathia would strikeout 4 and didn’t give up his first hit until the 4th inning. A close play came in the 6th inning when Nate McLouth nearly hit a home run before it was ruled as a foul ball and an eventual strikeout. The 8th inning ended Sabathia’s shutout when Lew Ford got a single with 2 on to bring in 1. Another single would load the bases before Sabathia settled down to get the last 2 outs of the inning with a strikeout and a groundout. With the ace on the mound, the Yankees let him go out for the 9th and he rewarded them with a perfect 9th inning, including Sabathia recording the assist on the final out of the game. In 9 innings, Sabathia needed 121 pitches with just 1 run on 4 hits with 9 strikeouts.

 

Orioles starter Jason Hammel kept up with Sabathia until the unexpected occurred. After a Mark Teixeira single, he stole second base. This was unusual as Teixeira is not usually a speed threat and he is playing with a weak calf but it was successful and it would pay off. Game 3 hero Raul Ibanez would put the Yankees ahead with a single following Teixeira’s stolen base. Then in the 6th inning, after Derek Jeter worked a walk, in-season acquisition Ichiro Suzuki would hit a double to center field and bring in Jeter for the 2nd run of the game. Curtis Granderson began showing signs of power with a towering home run, off a left-handed pitcher, into right field to give the Yankees a 3-run lead. The Yankees only had 4 opportunities with runners in scoring position but managed to get the hit that brought in the first run of the game. The Yankees got enough offense to support Sabathia’s quality outing to take the series.

 

Win – CC Sabathia (2-0)

Loss – Jason Hammel (0-1)

 

Notables

Orioles

*Lew Ford – 1 for 3, RBI (1)

*Matt Wieters – 1 for 3, R, BB

Yankees

*Ichiro Suzuki – 1 for 3, BB, 2B, RBI (3)

*Curtis Granderson – 2 for 3, R, Solo Home Run (1) in the 7th, RBI (1)

 

Current series: Yankees win series 3-2, advance to the ALCS