A recap of the Orioles' 8-2 win over the Yankees last night:
Seven and seven
The game was tied at 1 when Nick Markakis led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a sharp single to center field. By the time the inning was over, the Orioles had scored seven runs on seven hits and the Yankees had used three pitchers in an attempt to get out of the inning. It didn't work. The Orioles batted around for the first time this season, with 11 hitters coming to the plate. Luke Scott and Adam Jones had RBI singles, Jay Payton drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single off former Oriole LaTroy Hawkins, and Melvin Mora did the same off Hawkins. Markakis finished the scoring in the inning with an RBI single off reliever Edwar Ramirez.
Great escape
Daniel Cabrera was in a whole lot of trouble in the sixth inning. His control, which had been so good for the first five innings, was starting to fade, and as a result, the Yankees loaded the bases. With the score tied and two outs, Melky Cabrera, who had hit a long double off the pitcher in his previous at-bat, came to the plate. The count was 2-2 when Daniel Cabrera snapped off a curveball that the Yankees center fielder swung through. Cabrera pumped his fist, as did catcher Ramon Hernandez. Cabrera was removed an inning later after giving up a leadoff homer to Chad Moeller. He allowed two earned runs on five hits, two walks and two hit batters over six-plus innings.
Kiss of death
Before the game, Orioles manager Dave Trembley acknowledged that he has never seen Mora play as well defensively at third base as he has been playing. In the fifth inning with the Orioles clinging to a one-run lead, Mora booted Moeller's ground ball with men on second and third and one out, enabling Robinson Cano to score. It appeared that Mora picked his head up to get a glimpse of whether Cano had broken for home, and the ball deflected off his glove.
On deck
The three-game series against the Yankees continues tonight (7:05). Left-hander Brian Burres starts for the Orioles on five days' rest. Burres made four appearances against the Yankees last season, allowing nine runs and 18 hits in 18 innings. He's 1-2 with a 4.64 ERA in seven career games against New York. The Yankees will counter with Ian Kennedy, who took a line drive off his hip Monday night. He was walking with a limp afterward, but remains scheduled to start tonight.