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Yanks rough up Orioles 9-1

Jun 3, 2010 - 3:33 AM By HOWIE RUMBERG AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Joe Girardi barely was able to contain his excited laughter when talking about having his entire lineup back on the field.

And the manager has good reason to be giddy: Without several of his players for prolonged stretches, the Yankees still led the league in scoring.

Just think what they'll do now.

Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson hit two-run doubles in the second inning to back another stingy start by Phil Hughes, and the Yankees handed the Baltimore Orioles their seventh straight loss, 9-1 on Wednesday night.

"We had big hits from Grandy. We had big hits from Swish. Georgie (Posada) walks his first AB and scores on a double. It's amazing how that happens," Girardi said. "Our lineup looked good tonight."

Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer in the seventh and ran his hitting streak to 16 games for New York, which had 14 hits. Jorge Posada returned to the lineup after sitting out since May 16 with a broken bone in his right foot and went 1 for 3 with a walk.

With Posada joining Granderson, who's been back six games after missing nearly a month, and Swisher healthy again, the Yankees are only without Nick Johnson, who had wrist surgery and is on the 60-day DL. The nearly full squad pounced on Brad Beregesen (3-4) for six runs in 2 1-3 innings and beat Baltimore for the seventh straight time.

"It's good we got them right now," Cano said of the full lineup. "We need to win some games."

After needing help from a two-run throwing error to defeat the hapless Orioles 3-1 on Tuesday night, the Yankees sprayed seven hits to all fields in scoring four runs in the second inning and two in the third in winning their fourth straight.

Cano had a single in each inning, and Brett Gardner hit a sacrifice fly and Francisco Cervelli drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch behind his left shoulder with the bases loaded.

Hughes (7-1) did the rest against an offense that has scored only 11 runs during its skid.

The right-hander scattered six hits and a walk, striking out seven in his second straight strong start after stumbling for two outings. He allowed one run in seven innings and has given up one run or less in five of his 10 starts.

"He's been so, so good for us. He's doing so many things right," said Girardi, who as manager of the AL All-Star team has a say in what pitchers will be chosen.

About Hughes' chances, Girardi said, "If it was today ... ."

Ty Wigginton had an RBI single in the sixth after he struck out in the fourth on a checked swing call by first base umpire Mike DiMuro. Still in the batter's box, Wigginton waved his bat over his head in frustration at DiMuro, who gestured to Wigginton to get off the field.

Frustration abounds for the Orioles - manager Dave Trembley said after Tuesday's loss, "I think we're way past asking if I'm frustrated and disappointed" - who have lost nine of 10 and are two losses from matching their nine-loss skid from April 9-17.

The Orioles, who came in batting .221 with runners in scoring position, were 1 for 9 in that situation.

"We're not hitting with men in scoring position right now," Miguel Tejada said. "Maybe we need to concentrate more. We need to do something to pick it up."

With one out in the seventh, Scott Moore lined a shot off second base umpire Tim Welke's hip in shallow center field. The crew chief jogged it off and took his position.

After Cano singled to lead off the second, Posada, the designated hitter, walked. He showed off his healed right foot, nearly catching Cano racing around third base as the two scored on Granderson's double to left-center.

"Everything felt fine," Posada said.

Granderson was caught in a rundown when he tried to score from third on Derek Jeter's grounder. Swisher drove in Gardner and Jeter to make it 4-0. Swisher had an RBI single in the eighth.

In the eighth, Nick Markakis lost an RBI when he doubled to left-center but Tejada, who singled, was nailed at home on a perfect relay from Gardner to Ramiro Pena, in as a defensive replacement at shortstop. Cervelli made a sliding sweep tag to get Tejada on Pena's throw.

Tejada was removed from the game by Trembley for the bottom of the eighth.

"That was an opportunity to get him out of the game," Trembley said. "It was a chance to give him ... a blow. We have a day game tomorrow."

NOTES: The Yankees optioned 1B-DH Juan Miranda to Triple-A/Wilkes-Barre to make room for Posada. ... Orioles reliever Mike Gonzalez (strained left shoulder) had a bullpen session. He threw 25-30 pitches. Gonzalez will take Friday off before throwing about 40 pitches Saturday.