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Orioles power past Yankees, move into tie in AL East

Sep 7, 2012 - 4:50 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Baltimore's bullpen blew a five-run lead in the eighth inning, but Adam Jones, Mark Reynolds and Chris Davis each homered in the bottom of the frame to give the Orioles a 10-6 victory over the New York Yankees.

Reynolds had two of Baltimore's season-high six home runs Thursday night in the opener of an important four-game series at Camden Yards. Robert Andino and Matt Wieters also went deep for the Orioles, who moved into a tie with the Yankees for first place in the AL East.

Jason Hammel got the start for Baltimore and was solid over five-plus innings, allowing one run on six hits. Darren O'Day (7-1) recorded the final out in the eighth to pick up the win.

Ichiro Suzuki and Curtis Granderson had two RBI apiece for New York, which had a 10-game lead over the Orioles on July 18. Chris Dickerson and Alex Rodriguez each knocked in a run.

Yankees starter David Phelps gave up five runs on six hits over four innings. David Robertson (1-6) allowed three runs on three hits without recording an out in the eighth.

"They expected me to come in and do a job and be able to put up a zero right there, and I feel like I let the team down," Robertson said.

The Orioles seemed to have the game in hand as they took a 6-1 lead into the eighth inning. But Nick Swisher started New York's five-run inning with a one- out walk. Rodriguez's two-out double to left-center field scored Swisher and Randy Wolf was taken out after walking Eric Chavez. Pedro Strop came in from the bullpen and gave up an RBI single to Granderson. Russell Martin and pinch- hitter Dickerson worked walks to force in a run. Suzuki followed with a two- run single to right field to tie the contest at six.

But New York's bullpen also imploded in the bottom half as Robertson started the inning on the mound and gave up a leadoff homer to Jones. After Wieters singled, Reynolds homered to left. Boone Logan came into the game and faced the same luck, giving up a homer to Davis. Derek Lowe retired the next three batters, but not before the Orioles took a 10-6 lead.

"Biggest hit I've ever had in my life," Jones said about his home run. "If somebody knows how to find that ball let me get it. It was the biggest hit I've ever had."

Jim Johnson worked around a one-out single in the ninth to secure the victory.

Phelps struggled in the first inning and the Orioles took full advantage. J.J. Hardy and Nate McLouth started things with back-to-back singles. After both runners advanced one base on a balk, Jones hit an RBI single to center in front of a sliding Granderson. Wieters followed with a three-run homer to left that landed in the first row.

Baltimore almost lost Hammel to an injury in the fourth when Robinson Cano hit a line drive that deflected off Hammel's right elbow. The ball rolled into left field for a single as the medical staff checked on Hammel. He stayed in the game and gave up an RBI single to Granderson later in the inning.

Granderson was busy in the outfield during the bottom half of the frame. He made two catches at the warning track for the first two outs, but had no chance of catching up to Andino's blast that cleared the wall in left-center field.

Reynolds led off the sixth with a homer to left to make it a 6-1 contest.

Game Notes

The Orioles lead the season series by an 8-7 margin ... Hammel was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list before the game ... Prior to the game, the Orioles unveiled a bronze sculpture of Cal Ripken Jr., celebrating the 17th anniversary of the day he broke Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played ... Reynolds has homered in three straight games.