That's More Like It

(REUTERS/Joe Giza)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NYY	0	0	0	3	0	4	2	0	2		11	13	0
BAL	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0		2	7	1

Well, I guess we can all relax now; the Yankees have won a game. I know, I know, some of you thought this day would never come.

A.J. Burnett gave the Yankees just what they needed by pitching 5.1 strong innings today in their 11-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Burnett allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out six. He had good stuff on the day, his breaking balls had great movement and his fastball was sitting at 95-97 mph all day, and he had pretty good command throughout the day. He threw 98 pitches, 59 for strikes.

The biggest spot in the game came in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and two out and Aubrey Huff at the plate. Baltimore had already scored one in the inning to take a 1-0 lead and were obviously threatening for more. Huff worked the count to 3-2, but Burnett was able to fan him on a sweeping curveball and let out a big fist pump on his way back to the dugout. "It definitely fired me up to get out of that jam," said Burnett.

The Yankees offense seemed to be fired up too as they immediately scoring three runs to take the lead. Mark Teixeira got things starting by leading off the fourth by mashing a deep home run to left-center field to tie the game. It was his first homer of the season. Talk about one at-bat that turned things around, huh? Before last night's double in the ninth, Tex was 0-for-8, since then he's 3-for-6 with a homer, a double and two RBI.

Next up was Xavier Nady and he flew out, Robinson Cano then walked to bring up Nick Swisher. On a 3-2 pitched Swisher drove a ball deep and over the wall in right to give the Yanks a 3-2 lead.

They added four more runs in the sixth, Teixeira single, Nady struckout, Cano singled, Swisher singled, Cody Ransom walked to load the bases, two runs then scored on an error on a Brett Gardner grounder, and two more scored on a Jose Molina bloop single.

Cano continued his great day by hitting a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to extend the Yankees lead to 9-2. He finished the day going 3-for-4 with a HR, a walk, two RBI, and four runs scored.

Later in the top of the ninth Swisher, who also had a great game going 3-for-5 with a double, homer, 5 RBI, and two runs scored, capped off the Yankees scoring with a two-run double scoring Cano and Ramiro Pena. Pena pinch-hit and led off the inning with his first major league hit, a single up the middle off Chris Ray.

Once the Yankees got the lead today they held on to it, and some of credit must go to the bullpen. The Yankees pen was great for the second straight game after struggling on opening day. Today they combined to pitch 3.2 perfect innings. Phil Coke retired the only two batters he faced, both on strikeouts. Jose Veras, Brian Bruney, and Mariano Rivera each pitched 1-2-3 innings to finish off the O's.

ORIOLES OFFENSE

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Burnett (W, 1-0)	5.1	7	2	2	1	6	1	3.38
Coke	0.2	0	0	0	0	2	0	7.71
Veras	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Bruney	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	13.50
Rivera	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

ORIOLES PITCHING

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Nick Swisher (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R)

HONORABLE MENTION: A.J. Burnett (5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, First Yankees win)

The Yankees now head to Kansas City for three games against the Royals. Andy Pettitte will start the first game for the Yankees as they look to even up their record at 2-2. He will be facing off against former Yankee Sidney Ponson. First pitch tomorrow is set for 4:10 p.m. and the game can be seen on YES and heard on WCBS 880.

Make sure to check in tomorrow for my Yankees-Royals series preview.