October 10, 1996: Yankees drop game two to Orioles, series tied 1-1

After a thrilling, memorable and controversial victory last night, the Yankees fell to the Orioles this evening by a score of 5-4. The ALCS is now tied at one game apiece.

David Cone started against David Wells, and things looked good early for the Bombers. The Yankees jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after a Bernie Williams RBI single and a Cecil Fielder RBI groundout. Cone gave those two runs back in the top of the third, however, when Todd Zeile hit a two run shot.

Cone exited after six, and surrendered those two runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking five. He threw 133 pitches - 77 for strikes.

Manager Joe Torre went with reliever Jeff Nelson, who turned in an unusually poor outing. With the game tied at two in the seventh, Nelson allowed a two-run homer to Rafael Palmeiro. The Yankees were able to get one run back in the bottom half of the seventh when Fielder single home Joe Girardi, but the Orioles added insurance in the eighth after Graeme Lloyd - who came on in place of Nelson - allowed an RBI single with runners on first and second.

The Yankees were able to get runners on first and second in the ninth, but Orioles closer Armando Benitez got Tino Martinez to fly out to right to end the game.

The series now shifts to Baltimore where Jimmy Key will start against Mike Mussina.

Line score:

        1 2 3  4 5 6  7 8 9  R  H  E
        - - -  - - -  - - -  -  -  -
Orioles 0 0 2  0 0 0  2 1 0  5 10  0
Yankees 2 0 0  0 0 0  1 0 0  3 11  1