Alex Rodriguez stepped to the plate in the third inning looking for career home run number 661. After being robbed of that precious home run to pass Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time home run list in the first by a great play by Delmon Young, Rodriguez got the last laugh as he crushed his seventh dinger of the year to left center.
#AROD hits 661 and gets a Yankee Stadium ovation. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/XYV9U2Taum
— Bronx Pinstripes (@BronxPinstripes) May 8, 2015
It was a humble moment for Rodriguez who received an electrifying ovation and curtain call from the hometown crowd. His home run put the Yankees ahead 3-2 but that lead would not last long.
In the fifth, Nathan Eovaldi gave up the tying run on a Caleb Joseph double. Joseph also homered earlier in the game to tie it at two.
The Yankees went back on top in the bottom of the fifth when Brett Gardner lead off the inning with a double. After a Rodriguez strike out, Mark Teixeira got his second RBI of the game on a double of his own.
Eovaldi finished the night after 5.2 innings. He struggled with command all night but was able to keep the Orioles offense to three runs. The bullpen did the job from there on. The combination of Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller threw 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball to secure the Yankees 18th win of the season.
But this night was all about number 13 and his home run number 661. Rodriguez’s supposed PED use and one year ban have been well documented. The hate directed toward him is the biggest amongst baseball players. However, on this day, he was cheered louder than anyone in a Yankee uniform since Derek Jeter was sent off into retirement in September.
It might come as a surprise to many but the Yankee faithful backed Rodriguez 100% tonight, a night that meant so much to A-Rod.
There is another developing story not named Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees one-two hitters in the lineup have been on fire and that continued tonight. Jacoby Ellsbury extended his hit streak to 11 games going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Brett Gardner followed Ellsbury with two hits of his own. They increased their averages to .363 and .318, respectively.
Win: Nathan Eovaldi (3-0)
Loss: Chris Tillman (2-4)
Save: Andrew Miller (12)
Notables
Yankees
Alex Rodriguez: 2-for-3, HR (7), number 661 of his career
Mark Teixeira: 2-for-3, 2B (6), 2 RBIs (25)
Orioles
Caleb Joseph: 2-for-4, HR (3), 2B (3), 2 RBIs (9)
Jimmy Paredes: 1-for-2, HR (4)
Current Yankees Record: 18-11
Current Orioles Record: 12-14
