For the third consecutive start, Phil Hughes was ineffective, battling unusually low velocity. But for the first time, the New York Yankees were able to get him off the hook, rallying back and defeating the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in ten innings.
Orioles Vs. Yankees: Phil Hughes Struggles Again, But New York Walks Off In Ten
Still something of a mystery, Hughes came out and put his team behind the 8-ball once more, allowing five runs and getting pulled just one out into the fifth. His fastball, clocked in the low-90s a year ago, hovered in the mid-80s again on Thursday, and Nick Markakis ripped him for a double and a home run. Through four and a half, Baltimore owned a 5-0 lead.
But then the Yankees started chipping away. They got one in the fifth, two more in the sixth, and another in the seventh, and by the time the ninth inning rolled around, Kevin Gregg was tasked with preserving a 5-4 lead. Jorge Posada, though, blasted a leadoff home run to tie things up, and it was all Gregg could do to force extras after Curtis Granderson followed Posada's homer with a double.
In the tenth, the Orioles went quietly in their half, setting up the Yankees' half against reliever Mike Gonzalez. Mark Teixeira led off with a walk and advanced to third on an Alex Rodriguez double, and two batters later, Teixeira was able to score the winning run on a Nick Swisher walk-off sacrifice fly to right.
For more on the Orioles and Yankees, please visit team blogs Camden Chat and Pinstripe Alley.
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