Bronx, NY (Best E Casino) - Bronx, NY (Best E Casino) - Bobby Abreu homered twice, doubled, drove in three and scored four times as the
New York Yankees pounded the
Baltimore Orioles, 13-3, to salvage the finale of a three-game set.
Joba Chamberlain (4-3) held the Orioles to two runs -- one earned -- on five hits in six innings with six strikeouts and no walks to pick up the win. Alex Rodriguez also homered for the Yankees, who ended a three-game skid.
"He knows how to pitch," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi of Chamberlain. "The young man is very mature for his age. He's been a big addition to our rotation ... He's doing what he's supposed to do."
In his first major league start, Dennis Sarfate (4-2) gave up five runs -- three earned -- on only two hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. Sarfate took Brian Burres's place in the rotation as Burres was demoted to the bullpen. Juan Castro had a pinch-hit solo homer for the O's, who had won three straight.
After the game the Yankees announced that they dealt righthanded reliever Kyle Farnsworth to the Tigers in exchange for veteran catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who will replace the injured Jorge Posada behind the plate for the Bronx Bombers. Posada underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday.
The Yankees exploded for four runs in the sixth and another four in the seventh to blow open a 5-2 game. Abreu doubled in the gap in right-center to start the sixth, and scored on a check-swing single by Jason Giambi into left. After a single by Robinson Cano, Xavier Nady got in on the action with an RBI ground-rule double to left to score Giambi.
Fernando Cabrera was the second Oriole out of the bullpen, but couldn't stop the bleeding. He intentionally walked Melky Cabrera and fanned Jose Molina for the second out, but then walked Johnny Damon to force in a run, and a wild pitch plated Nady for a 9-2 Yankees lead before Derek Jeter struck out to end the frame.
Yankees reliever Edwar Ramirez came out for the seventh, and lasted one pitch. His first offering went right over Kevin Millar's head, and Ramirez was promptly ejected by home plate umpire Mark Wegner. The intimidation pitch may have been retribution for Tuesday night, when O's pitcher Daniel Cabrera was ejected in the eighth inning after beaning Alex Rodriguez.
Abreu and Rodriguez went back-to-back to start the eighth, their 13th and 23rd, respectively, and the solo shots boosted the New York lead to 11-2. Nady added an RBI double in the frame, and pinch-hitter Justin Christian's RBI single capped the scoring for the Yankees.
"It was good. I enjoyed it, and I had a good game," said Abreu, who made a rare appearance as designated hitter for the Yankees. Nady played in right field for New York.
Castro's pinch-hit homer to left, his first this season, with two outs in the eighth provided the lone late highlight for Baltimore.
The O's got on top early on Aubrey Huff's RBI single to left with two outs in the first. The lead was short-lived, though, as the Bronx Bombers plated three in the home half.
Jeter and Abreu both walked, and Rodriguez's single to center plated both. Jeter scored on the hit, and Abreu came around when Nick Markakis' throw skipped past home plate. A passed ball by Guillermo Quiroz later in the inning allowed Rodriguez to score from third for a 3-1 Yankees lead.
An RBI single by Markakis cut the Yankees lead to 3-2 in the third, but Abreu's first homer, a two-run shot down the line in right that bounced off the pole in the home half, pushed New York ahead 5-2.
Game Notes
Abreu's multi-homer game was the 12th of his career, but his first as a Yankee...Posada is expected to need four-to-six months to recover from the arthroscopic surgery. He will begin an exercise program in four-to-six weeks...The Orioles fell to 10-24 in series finales.