New York Yankees 3 – Baltimore Orioles 11
The Yankees opened the series in Baltimore in nearly all the wrong ways.
Starting the game against Orioles’ Ubaldo Jimenez, the Yankees threatened early. Brett Gardner and Chase Headley led off with a pair of singles. Alex Rodriguez walked to load the bases with no outs. Mark Teixeira produced the first out on an infield pop out, via the infield fly rule. Brian McCann followed with a strikeout and a fly out by Carlos Beltran allowed the best scoring opportunity a team could have, to go by the way side.
Clearly a bases loaded, no out opportunity reduced to zero runs is the beginning to something bad.
In the bottom of the first inning, Michael Pineda took the mound after a skipped start meant to improve the odds of him pitching later into the season. Command was not on Pineda’s side as he walked Manny Machado to start the season. Jimmy Paredes followed with a single and with one out later, Chris Davis drilled the scoreboard with a run-scoring, line drive single.
In the third inning, the Yankees rallied to tie the game on a run-scoring single to center field by Alex Rodriguez. The tie did not last long as the Orioles got back to work against Pineda in the bottom of the inning.
Manny Machado led off the bottom of the third with a ground ball to the hot corner. Chase Headley looked to field it and ended up being charged with his 14th error of the season and this one hurt. The ball took an unexpected hop and hit him where no man wants to be hit. Headley stayed in the game, only to run into Pineda on a soft infield hit by Jimmy Paredes.
The inning continued to go bad when Adam Jones hit a run-scoring single to left. Chris Davis delivered the big blow, a three-run home run over the right field scoreboard. The Orioles had a four-run lead after three innings.
The biggest highlight for the Yankees came in the fourth inning from the bottom of the order, where a baby bomber made his debut.
Mason Williams came up with one on and one out. On an 0-1 pitch, Williams took Jimenez deep to right center field for his first career home run. Congratulations to Mason Williams.
Unfortunately, the Orioles kept the pressure on Pineda. With a runner on second and one out, Jimmy Paredes hit a single to right field to score the Orioles’ sixth run of the game.
Brendan Ryan replaced the injured Chase Headley in the fifth inning. Jacob Lindgren replaced Pineda with two on and one out but got a double play to end the inning.
In 4 1/3 innings, Michael Pineda allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits, two walks but two strikeouts. Extra rest could have played a factor in flay breaking balls and straight fastballs as many of the nine hits were very hard.
In the sixth inning, the Yankees loaded the bases with two outs but came up empty again. With Lindgren still in the game, Caleb Joseph went deep to left center field. As the blowout became imminent, Esmil Rogers entered for Lindgren. After Machado got on first with a single, Paredes hit a ground ball to Mark Teixeira, who committed an error by throwing the ball into left field. A wild pitch scored a run and two outs later, J.J. Hardy hit a double to score the ninth run for the Orioles. Travis Snider hit a single to score another run for the Orioles.
The Orioles scored one more run in the seventh inning and it was the last run to come around tonight.
Minus the baby bomber blast, the Yankees were bad in all ways. The offense hit 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Four unearned runs scored thanks to two errors, at least the ones that are officially listed. The defense made mental errors like a fly ball that fell between outfielders in the seventh inning.
Tonight is a game that needs to be brushed aside and start with a clean slate tomorrow night.
Win – Ubaldo Jimenez (4-3)
Loss – Michael Pineda (7-3)
Notables
Yankees
*Mason Williams – 1 for 2, R, Two-run home run (1; 1st of career) in the 4th, 2 RBI (2)
*Alex Rodriguez – 2 for 4, BB, RBI (30)
Orioles
*Chris Davis – 3 for 5, R, Three-run home run (13) in the 3, 4 RBI (37)
*Jimmy Paredes – 3 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI (28)
Current Yankees Record: 33-27
