A Tale of Two Cabreras
Starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera got off to a rough start yesterday, but battled back to give the team a chance to win. He loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning and again with one out in the second. The Yankees scored four runs in those two innings on four hits and four walks. He settled down after that, however, holding the Yankees scoreless on two hits over the next four innings.
Rally Time
Down 4-0, the Orioles got on the board in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. Jay Gibbons singled off Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang, moving Miguel Tejada to second. Paul Bako walked to load the bases and Luis Hernandez drove in two runs with a single. The club found additional two-out success in the sixth inning. With Bako and Hernandez on, Brian Roberts lined a hit to left field, scoring Bako to make the score 4-3. Corey Patterson ended the rally when he grounded out.
Bullpen Falters
The Orioles' bullpen-by-committee approach finally backfired. John Parrish gave up one run on two hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly. Paul Shuey took over for Parrish in the eighth but lasted only one-third of an inning before being removed with the bases loaded and one run already in. Danys Baez replaced Shuey and promptly gave up a two-run single to Bobby Abreu. Hideki Matsui drove in Johnny Damon with a groundout. Robinson Cano followed with an RBI double to make it 10-4.
On Deck
The Orioles are off today and will be traveling to Boston to begin a three-game series tomorrow against the American League East-leading Red Sox. The opener is a matchup of aces. Orioles left-hander Erik Bedard (10-4, 3.05 ), who has won his past six decisions and leads the majors in strikeouts with 175, opposes Josh Beckett (13-4, 3.27), who is tied for the AL lead in wins.