Yankees 15 - 3 Orioles
Final
  for this game

A-Rod hits slam, homer-happy Yankees rout Orioles

Apr 24, 2011 - 4:43 AM

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Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Alex Rodriguez belted a grand slam to cap a seven-run eighth inning, as New York hit five home runs to rout Baltimore, 15-3, in the start of an abbreviated series at Camden Yards.

Coming into the game, the Yankees led the majors with 30 home runs and were tops in baseball with 10 multi-homer outings this season. Saturday's burst of longballs set a new franchise record for home runs in the first 17 games of a season with 35. The old mark was 33 in 2003.

"It's great to see the bats swinging like that," said New York manager Joe Girardi. "You know, we haven't had a chance to play much this week and I think guys were itching to get out there."

Rodriguez also moved ahead of Carl Yastrzemski into 10th on the all-time list with 1,847 RBI after a 2-for-5, six-RBI effort for the Yankees, who have won four of five.

Russell Martin went deep twice and drove in four, while Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner added a two-run shots each.

The power display obscured CC Sabathia's (1-1) first win of 2011, where the left-hander allowed six hits and three runs with seven strikeouts over eight innings.

Adam Jones hit a three-run homer and Derrek Lee added two hits and scored a run for the Orioles, who have lost 10 of their last 12.

Brad Bergesen (0-3) was dented for six runs on eight hits over six full frames in defeat.

"You know you feel good at times but at the end of the night you see your line and it doesn't look good," said Bergesen. "I just have to take the positives out of tonight and look ahead to my next start."

New York scored three times in its first turn at the plate on a two-run double from Rodriguez and an RBI single from Robinson Cano.

Sabathia retired the first 11 men he faced, until a two-out base hit from Lee in the fourth.

Martin increased the Yanks' lead to 6-0 in the sixth with a long drive to left. Cano began the inning with a single and Nick Swisher walked before the home run.

Baltimore halved its deficit in the seventh, as a leadoff walk to Nick Markakis and Lee single preceded a one-out, three-run shot to right from Jones.

In the eighth, Cano singled ahead of Posada's two-run blast that made it 8-3 for New York, then Martin followed with a solo homer for a six-run margin. Later in the inning, after two walks and a single issued by Clay Rapada, Rodriguez unloaded on Josh Rupe for a grand slam and 13-3 advantage.

Martin was plunked with two outs in the ninth and Gardner brought him in with a shot to right-center and capped the scoring at 15-3.

Game Notes

Sabathia upped his career record to 15-2 against the Orioles, and improved to 9-1 at Camden Yards...New York has won six of the last seven meetings with Baltimore...O's second baseman Brian Roberts extended his team-high hit streak to 10 games with a single in the eighth inning...Rodriguez hit his 22nd career grand slam, moving past Manny Ramirez into second all-time, behind only Lou Gehrig (23).






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