It took 15 innings, and included several unusual occurrences, but the New York Yankees outlasted the Baltimore Orioles, 4-1, in 15 innings Wednesday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore.
Robinson Cano delivered the big hit for the Yankees, a double off Baltimore's Mike Gonzalez to drive in two runs in the 15th inning. It was New York's only extra-base hit of the night.
Pitching was largely the story for the Yankees. Veteran Bartolo Colon pitched eight shutout innings, allowing only three hits and needing just 87 pitches to do it and the Yankees led, 1-0, heading to the bottom of the ninth. Manager Joe Girardi turned the game over to Mariano Rivera, and the great Yankee closer faltered, costing Colon a victory and pushing the game into extra innings.
Yankee reliever Boone Logan pitched out of an 11th inning jam, getting two outs with the winning run at third base, then Girardi turned the game over to Hector Noesi, making his major league debut. Noesi responded with four shutout innings, pitching into and out of trouble consistently. He gave up four hits and four walks, but earned the victory.
The game included several oddities. Among them:
- Baltimore's Brandon Snyder being hit by a ground ball on the basepath in the 15th inning.
- Today's schedule Orioles starter, Jeremy Guthrie, had to enter the game after Gonzalez was ejected in the 15th for hitting Chris Dickerson in the head with a pitch.
- Yankee pitcher A.J. Burnett entered the game as a pinch-runner.in the 15th inning.
Alex Rodriguez led the Yankees with four hits.