Chen's Stellar Start Wasted

The Orioles were cruising until the seventh inning, when a pair of free passes and an error gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead and eventually the win.

Wei-Yin Chen was stellar, and didn't allow a hit until serving-up a solo homer to Robinson Cano in the fourth inning. Chen (12-8) didn't allow another run until the fateful seventh frame. He gave up a run on a bloop single before being pulled in favor of Pedro Strop, who came on to get the final out. Strop had trouble finding the strike zone, walking Ichiro Suzuki to load the bases before walking Derek Jeter, knotting the game at three. A fielding error by J.J. Hardy allowed New York to take the lead. Strop was pulled in favor of Brian Matusz, who coaxed a pop-up to end the inning, but the damage had been done.

The O's had taken a 1-0 lead in the first and added another run in the second off a Manny Machado single. Matt Wieters added a solo shot in the fourth to give Chen a comfortable three-run cushion, but it just wasn't enough. The Birds went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and managed just three runs despite working eight walks off New York's staff.

A win would have put the O's just a game behind the slumping Yankees in the AL East, instead the Birds are now three games behind their divisional foes. The loss also snapped a franchise-best streak of 13 straight one-run victories. The Orioles still have a chance to win the series on Sunday afternoon; Chris Tillman looks to put the Birds back in the win column.