Yanks split with Orioles and fall further from 1st place

If the Yankees were playing better and how they are supposed to be, they could have had a great chance to be a game back from 1st place. Instead they split these two with Baltimore and find themselves with losing even more ground (Entering Wednesday May 16, 2012):

The Rays are in a three-game winning streak now and because of the Orioles-Yankees split, find themselves tied in first. I have a strong feeling that it will be the Yanks, Rays and Orioles battling all year long and the Rays look the most prepared because of their proven pitching. The have another two-game series coming up at Toronto, let’s hope they don’t get swept into 5th place. Wake up Yanks!

Game Two: Orioles 5 Yanks 2

MLB.com  Recap:

BALTIMORE — It wasn’t his Major League debut or first career win. Heck, it wasn’t even Orioles newcomer Wei-Yin Chen’s first start against the Yankees. What Tuesday’s start was, though, was a phenomenally impressive seven-inning performance in which Chen flummoxed a lethal New York lineup. It was a notable start that ended with one of the most satisfying Orioles wins this season and the 26-year-old lefty — again — wiping the remnants of a shaving-cream pie off his face.

The Orioles — who remain in a tie for first place in the American League East with the Rays — could get used to this kind of celebration, and Chen looks like a pro in handling the role of recurring star. Chen’s performance — he held New York scoreless until Curtis Granderson’s seventh-inning homer — helped carry the Orioles to a 5-2 victory, their first in five games against the Yankees at Camden Yards this year.

“It all started with Chen shutting down that ridiculous lineup,” said center fielder Adam Jones, who got the Orioles’ scoring started with a solo homer off CC Sabathia in the second inning. “Someone tweeted at me yesterday, ‘That’s a Confederate Army of home run hitters.’ So he halted that lineup.”

And Chen did so in the same quiet fashion that is quickly becoming the norm for him. Chen, signed to a three-year deal out of Japan this past offseason, doesn’t throw particularly hard, but he has made a living off pinpoint control. The lefty took the mound in the seventh having retired 10 consecutive Yankees before Robinson Cano’s leadoff double, and he exiting the 105-pitch outing with just four hits allowed.

How, exactly did Chen do it?

“He’s sneaky,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter said of Chen, who improved to 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his first four home starts. “It’s not like he’s throwing changeups, like [Jamie] Moyer. He gets it up there, 91, 92 [mph]. He hits his spots. He knows how to pitch.

“It’s a little unfair to say he’s not overpowering, because he mixes in his offspeed stuff and his fastball gets up there pretty good. He knows what he’s doing.”….Read More

Box Score and Highlights:

 

Game One: Yanks 8  Orioles 5

MLB.com Recap:

BALTIMORE — The Yankees have come to accept Mark Teixeira’s slow starts as par for the course, but the slumping switch-hitter delivered a big blow at a most opportune time.

Teixeira blasted a two-run homer in the seventh inning to put his club ahead and the Yankees fought through a rash of injuries to make it hold up, posting an 8-5 victory over the Orioles on Monday at Camden Yards.

“Obviously, I haven’t been getting the results I want,” Teixeira said. “I’ve just been battling, and tonight was one of those nights where I got to see some results. It was a big win for us here.”

Rookie David Phelps (1-1) logged his first Major League victory by recording three outs, having entered in the sixth inning ahead of Teixeira’s deciding blast off losing pitcher Luis Ayala (1-1), but the win may have come at a heavy cost for the Yankees.

Rafael Soriano picked up his second save in place of David Robertson, who is unavailable with a left ribcage injury. Starter Ivan Nova was also forced to leave in the sixth with a sprain and bruise of his right ankle, and though X-rays were negative, Nova’s next start is in jeopardy.

“It feels really bad right now,” Nova said. “It’s hurting a little bit. Tomorrow will be better. … I don’t want to miss any of my starts. I hope I can feel better and pitch next time.”

Additionally, reliever Clay Rapada had to be helped into the visitors’ clubhouse, as he was overwhelmed by a viral infection. Raul Ibanez left the game after being drilled on the right elbow by a Dana Eveland pitch in the ninth inning, leading manager Joe Girardi to remark that his team “barely” got through the evening.

“As I’ve said before, it gives an opportunity to shine,” Girardi said. “Maybe guys’ roles have to increase a little bit, and we’ve asked them to do that.”

Teixeira heard boos as he dug in for his plate appearance against Ayala in the seventh. They were probably from Orioles fans — the Maryland product hasn’t been very popular in these parts since snubbing Baltimore as a free agent before the 2009 season — but lately he has been hearing his share of Bronx cheers as well.

Teixeira started the long road back with his line-drive blast over the scoreboard in right field, highlighting a contest that also saw Curtis Granderson hit his team-leading 12th homer as New York handed Jason Hammel his roughest outing of the year.

“Yesterday I was the goat; today you get to be the hero,” Teixeira said. “That’s baseball. That’s why you play every night. You’re going to be the goat a lot more than you’re going to be the hero.

“That’s a very good team over there. Hammel’s a very good pitcher, so we have some positive things to take away from tonight.”

The Yankees got to Hammel for five runs (four earned) in five innings. Nick Swisher slugged a two-run double in the third, and after Granderson gave New York a briefly held lead in the fifth, Ibanez delivered a hard-hit ball with the bases loaded in the sixth that ate up first baseman Chris Davis for an error as two runs scored.

“It’s frustrating any time you make mistakes, especially ones you can really capitalize on,” Davis said.

The outburst was tempered, however, by the injury to Nova, who turned his ankle and limped off the field after fielding a Wilson Betemit grounder…….Read More

Box Score and Highlights: