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Chen, Orioles shut down Yankees

May 16, 2012 - 4:56 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Wei-Yin Chen pitched seven strong innings and J.J. Hardy drove in two runs to help Baltimore to a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees, as the Orioles earned a split of the two-game series.

Chen (4-0) allowed four hits and two runs, while walking two and fanning four.

Adam Jones homered for the Orioles, who had lost their previous two games.

"Anytime you're facing a guy like [CC] Sabathia you have to get a well-pitched game from your starter to be in the ball game," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "His (Chen's) pitch count was way down early and we strung together some good at-bats."

Sabathia (5-1) went six innings for the Yankees, who earned an 8-5 win on Monday. Sabathia yielded eight hits and four runs, walking four and fanning six.

Curtis Granderson belted a two-run homer in the seventh inning in defeat.

Jones led off the second with his 11th homer of the year, a shot to left field.

Steve Tolleson doubled leading off the Baltimore third, and he scored on Hardy's double-play grounder.

Hardy's double scored Xavier Avery in the fifth for a 3-0 lead and the Orioles loaded the bases the following inning, thanks in part to Robert Andino's infield hit, a slow roller to third. Hardy then hit a ball hard to second baseman Robinson Cano, but he couldn't make a clean play and the flip to Derek Jeter covering second was late. Bill Hall scored.

"He couldn't throw breaking balls for strikes early like we're used to getting," Yankees catcher Chris Stewart said. "It just wasn't there tonight, but he battled, he gave us everything he had. He kept the game close for us but we couldn't pull through."

Cano doubled leading off the following inning, and with two outs Granderson hit a ball to the wall in left. A fan wearing a Yankees jacket reached out with his glove in front of the glove of Avery above the wall. The ball deflected away into the stands.

Jones singled leading off the seventh against Freddy Garcia, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. With two outs and pinch-hitter Nick Johnson at the plate, a high pitch clipped the glove of Stewart and went to the backstop, and Baltimore had a three-run lead again.

Chen gave the ball to Showalter and then received a standing ovation as he exited to the dugout in favor of Pedro Strop. The reliever walked the first two batters, but was bailed out when Cano grounded into an inning- ending double play.

Game Notes

Orioles reliever Jim Johnson earned his 12th save of the season...Sabathia fell to 16-3 lifetime against the Orioles...This was Chen's seventh major league start...The Yankees went 1-for-9 with men in scoring position...The Orioles beat New York for the first time in five tries at Camden Yards this season...Earlier Tuesday, the Yankees placed reliever David Robertson on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain. The Yankees replaced Robertson on the roster by recalling pitcher Cody Eppley from Triple- A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.