New York Yankees defeat Baltimore Orioles 4-1 in fifteenth inning - MLB Update
The American League’s New York Yankees overpowered the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 in a long fifteen innings game, at Oriole Park, on Tuesday, May 18 to take 1-0 advantage in the two-game road series.
Robinson Cano hit a pitch to deep centre-field off the Orioles' closer Jeremy Accardo in the top of the fifteenth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Then Brett Gardner hit a sacrifice for an RBI single to cement the Yankees’ 22nd win of the season.
The Yankees might have won the game without entering into the extra innings, if closer Mariano Rivera has not given an RBI single on his second last pitch of the ninth inning. Rivera already had problems in this inning, as he gave a single each to Adam Jones
and Nick Markakis before allowing Vladimir Guerrero a sacrifice fly that tied the game 1-1.
As soon as the game moved into the extra innings, the pitchers from both sides broke out in a strong manner to take their team back into the game. Yankees’ relievers, Luis Ayala and Boone Logan strived hard to secure their ninth road win, but the Orioles’
relievers Clay Rapada, Jason Berken, Kevin Gregg, Koji Uehara and Jim Johnson each threw a scoreless inning to keep the game in extra innings.
When the game entered into the fifteenth inning, the Orioles pitcher Jeremy Accardo tried to overthrow the Yankees, but Mark Teixeira drove in a single and Alex Rodriguez’s single to centre, allowing Teixeira to occupy second base.
The Orioles’ manager Buck Showalter replaced Accardo with Mike Gonzalez, but the move did not work as Robinson Cano hit a tie breaking RBI double to take his team 3-0. The dejected Gonzalez then tossed a straight fastball to Chris Dickerson that injured
him.
After this pitch Home Plate Umpire, Dan Bellino ejected Gonzalez out of the game and the right-hand pitcher was surprised at the decision.
"It was kind of shocking. I hit him and obviously I get thrown out, and I was more worried about how he was doing down there," Gonzalez said. "First of all, I didn't understand why I was ejected and second of all, Dickerson is down there on the ground and
that's the last thing you want to see."
However, when Jeremy Guthrie relieved Gonzalez, Brett Gardner hit a sacrifice fly for another RBI single and closer Hector Noesi tossed a perfect last inning as the Yankees’ cement 4-1.
The Yankees’ starter, Bartolo Colon threw eight shut-out innings, struck out seven batters, allowed one walk and three hits.
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