The Yankees loaded the bases with none out against O's closer Jim Johnson in the ninth inning, but the Birds held on (with a little help from the first-base ump) to win 5-4 on Saturday night at Camden Yards.
The Yankees had scored once before the game ended after Mark Teixeira grounded into a double play...replays clearly showed Tex was safe with a head-first slide into first base. But the O's got a call that New York usually gets, and the game was over.
The Yankees had taken an early 2-0 lead against O's starter Joe Saunders, but the Birds tied the game at two in the second after back-to-back solo shots from mark Reynolds (who woulda thought?) and Lew Ford. Saunders (2-1) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing just the two runs on five hits and two walks, striking out two. Darren O'Day and Brian Matusz turned in impressive outings out of the 'pen, but set-up man Pedro Strop struggled yet again. Strop allowed two hits (one a homer) and a walk after retiring two batters before Matusz bailed him out.
The Yankees made it interesting in the ninth, and had the ump made the right call the game would have been tied...instead, the Birds have taken two of three and are tied for first with New York with one game left between the two clubs. Zach Britton takes the mound Sunday afternoon...
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