Yankees game 159: Jeter bids farewell in walk-off fashion

Derek Jeter brought in the first run, scored the second run, and would eventually hit the walk-off single to walk off the field a winner, in his final Yankee Stadium game.

Baltimore Orioles 5 -- New York Yankees 6

In a "made for Hollywood" script, Derek Jeter says farewell to Yankee Stadium with a walk-off single.

During the signature roll call in the first inning, Orioles leadoff batter Nick Markakis hit a home run off of Hiroki Kuroda during Derek Jeter's part of the roll call. Alejandro De Aza followed with a home run of his own for back-to-back home runs and put the Yankees in an early two-run hole. Hiroki Kuroda would bounce back and retire the next three batters to keep the Orioles at just two.

In the bottom of the first inning, Brett Gardner started the game with a single to right field off of Kevin Gausman. With a tremendous ovation upon Derek Jeter's introduction for his first at-bat, he would come through with a deep fly ball to left center field. It would miss a home run by inches and Derek Jeter settled with a run-scoring double. Gausman would throw a wild pitch that allowed Jeter to advance to third base. Brian McCann would hit a ground ball deep into the shift where Kelly Johnson bobbled it, allowing McCann to reach and Derek Jeter scored the tying run.

After a one-out single in the third inning, Hiroki Kuroda would retire the next 17 batters in a row. This may be the last start for Hiroki Kuroda at Yankee Stadium. In eight innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed two runs on three hits while walking none and striking out nine. The two runs came on the back-to-back home runs to open the game.

After a two-out walk to Chase Headley in the third inning, Gausman would retire the next seven batters he faced to pitch five strong innings. T.J. McFarland would pitch a scoreless sixth inning. In the seventh inning, McFarland started the inning with a strikeout of Stephen Drew but the strikeout pitch got by Caleb Joseph and Drew reached first base. Ichiro Suzuki walked to put two on and Jose Pirela put a bunt single down that allowed him to reach to load the bases with no outs. Brett Gardner grounded into a force out but Derek Jeter succeeded, sort of. Jeter would hit a ground ball to J.J. Hardy, who would throw it away in attempt for a force at second base allowing two runs to score and breaking the tie. Brian McCann added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly to put the Yankees ahead by three.

With a three-run lead, David Robertson took over after Kuroda went eight innings. He started the game with a leadoff walk and bounced back with a strikeout. He left a high pitch in the zone for Adam Jones and the Orioles' center fielder hit a two-run home run to pull the Orioles within one. Robertson would strike out Nelson Cruz but Steve Pearce would play spoiler, tying the game with a first-pitch solo home run to tie the game at five.

In the bottom of the ninth inning against Evan Meek, Jose Pirela started the inning with a single to left field. Antoan Richardson would come in as the pinch runner and he would advance on a bunt by Brett Gardner. On the first pitch from Evan Meek, Derek Jeter would put a beautiful bow on a storybook ending with a vintage single to right field in Derek Jeter fashion, walking off with the win for the first time since 2007.

Derek Jeter ended his Yankee Stadium career with a walk-off single to right field. Classic Jeter.

Win - David Robertson (4-5)

Loss - Evan Meek (0-4)

Notables

Orioles

*Adam Jones - 1 for 4, R, 2-Run Home Run (28) in the 9th, 2 RBI (95)

*Alejandro De Aza - 2 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (8) in the 1st, RBI (41)

Yankees

*Derek Jeter - 2 for 5, R, 2B, 3 RBI (49)

*Brett Gardner - 1 for 4, 2 R

Current Yankees Record: 82-77