Rasner leads Yankees to 8-0 win to even series
Darrel Rasner allowed just five hits in seven innings as the Yankees beat the Orioles 8-0. Rasner is 3-0 on the season.
With the win, the Yankees end a four-game losing streak and hand the O's just their 3rd loss in 11 games.
O's starter Garrett Olson gave up six runs over 2.2 IP. His ERA rose to 5.19.
Brian Burres faces Ian Kennedy Thursday at 7:05 pm in the series finale.
RASNER AND A-ROD LEAD YANKEES TO 8-0 ROMP OVER THE BIRDS
For one night anyway, Yankees beat writers don't have a need to call Hank Steinbrenner for a quote. New York routed the O's, 8-0 Wednesday, ending its four-game losing streak.
The Yankees, who had scored just 14 runs over their last 7 games, knocked lefty Garrett Olson out in the third inning. Olson fell to 3-1, allowing 8 hits and 6 runs, all earned, in just 2.2 IP. His ERA rose to 5.19.
New York scored three in the 2nd and 3rd off Olson. Of the 19 batters Olson faced tonight, 11 reached base.
For the O's, its just their 3rd loss in 11 games as they fall to 3-2 vs. the Yankees and 24-21 on the season.
Alex Rodriguez went 3-4 with a homer, two doubles and two RBI. Johnny Damon had two hits and two RBI as New York scored its most runs since getting 8 vs. Seattle on May 4th.
Yankee pitching had allowed 30 runs the past three games before Rasner shut down the Orioles tonight. He improved to 3-0, giving up just five hits over seven innings. He fanned six and walked just one.
In the finale of the three-game series, Thursday at 7:05pm, Brian Burres (4-4, 3.47) of the O's faces NY's Ian Kennedy (0-3, 8.48).
Balt 0-6-1
NYY 8-13-0
POST-GAME NOTES
THIS IS STRANGE
In a season where 25 of 45 Orioles games have been decided by two runs or less, none of the first five Yankees games have been close. Here are the scores. O's 8-2, O's 6-0, NY 7-1, O's 12-2, NY 8-0. The closest game is six runs.
In the three O's wins: O's outscore NY 26-4
In the two NYY wins: NY outscores O's 15-1
SLOW OFFENSE
Tonight the O's were shutout for the second time this season and second time in the last eight games. They have lost just 3 of their last 11 games. In those three games they have scored a total of one run on 12 hits.
They have now been held to one run or less, 10 times this season.
A-ROD'S IMPACT
It's pretty strong. Nice of him to return from the DL in time for this series. In the two games of the series he is 4-7, with two homers, two doubles and four RBI. He hit ropes tonight and looked pretty locked in.
A-Rod - 156 career games vs. Balt: .314--44--139, 133 runs.
New York went 6-11 when he was on the DL.
OLSON HIT HARD
The Yankees had 8 hits in 16 at bats vs. Olson tonight. He faced 19 batters and 11 reached base. Not his night. He gave up six singles, a double and a homer.
As we detailed earlier, he has struggled a lot more in recent starts.
Olson's first two starts: 3ER, 8H, 13IP.............2.08 ERA
Olson's last three starts: 12ER, 25H, 13IP.......8.31 ERA
WHY, JOE WHY ????
When Joba Chamberlain pitched the 8th inning of an 8-0 game, you figure he just needed the work. He had last pitched on Saturday, one inning vs. the Mets. But when he came out for the 9th some eyebrows had to be raised throughout all five boroughs.
Chamberlain went on to throw 35 pitches over two innings of an 8-0 game. Why? What if he is needed tomorrow. Can he pitch again, and will he be effective after a 35-pitch outing in a blowout? In my mind, a most questionable move by Joe Girardi.
FINAL NOTES
The O's fall to 3-16 when scoring three runs or less.........Adam Jones went 0-4, ending his six-game hit streak............Nick Markakis went 2-3 vs. Rasner and is now 7-8 in his career vs. the right-hander........New York had a rare good offensive night vs. a left-handed starter.....they had been 4-9 with a team average of .225, last in the league, vs. lefties..........O's are now 9-8 vs. AL East foes and 10-14 in road games........Johnny Damon ended a 3-25 slump with two hits and two RBI......the Yankees are 7-12 since April 28.
Steve Melewski's Live GameBlog
RASNER OUT
Joe Girardi brings in Joba Chamberlain to protect the 8-0 lead in the 8th. Guess he needs work, or Joe really wants a shutout win.
Darrel Rasner leaves after he was in complete control over 7 innings.
His line tonight: 7IP, 5H, 0R, 1BB 6K.....95 pitches, 61 strikes.
He is about to go 3-0 on the year with an ERA of 1.89.
THE A-ROD SHOW
A-Rod with, officially, an RBI double in the 6th makes it 7-0 NY. Replays showed the ball hit off some steps behind the fence, and it should have been a 2-run homer. That call probably won't have much bearing on this game tonight. They added another run in the innings vs. Lance Cormier and lead 8-0 after six.
And, no, Baltimoreans won't consider that payback for rugrat Jeffrey Meier.
STILL NO RUNS
NYY 6 O's 0......middle of 6th
From 12 runs to 0 for the Orioles, who are being shutout on four hits so far by Darrel Rasner. Nick Markakis is 2-3, making him now 7-8 in career at bats vs. Rasner.
It looks like Melvin Mora will be okay. He left this game in the third inning. The report is a laceration on his right ring finger, X-rays were negative. He is day to day.
CONCERN ABOUT OLSON
The O's now must have some concerns about Garrett Olson who seems to get worse, not better, with each start. I don't think he's going to lose his rotation spot, yet, but compare his first two starts to his last three.
Olson first 2 starts: 3ER, 8H, 13IP.......2.08 ERA
Olson last 3 starts: 12ER, 25H, 13IP....8.31 ERA
Maybe tonight was just "one of those nights." But the hits total is way up over the last three outings.
Tonight, NY had 8 hits in 16 at bats vs. Olson and 11 of the 19 batters he faced reached base.
Meanwhile, the O's just got the first two batters on in the 4th but did not score. Rasner left some pitches up, but got away with it that frame.
NOT HIS NIGHT
NYY 6 O's 0....end of third.
A-Rod hit a solo homer and Damon added a two-run single in NY's 3-run third that KO'd Olson.
Olson lasts just 2.2 IP tonight. He had nothing, left most of his pitches up and I don't think ever touched even 90 MPH on the gun. No velocity, no command, equals tough night.
Olson's line: 2.2IP, 8H, 6 r-er, 2BB, 1K, 1 HR......79 pitches.
MORA INJURED
Melvin Mora has left tonight's game in the bottom of the third. It appeared his right hand got spiked by Hideki Matsui as he was sliding into third base. After trainer Richie Bancells worked on the hand for a while, Melvin walked off and Alex Cintron came in at third base.
A-ROD HOMERS, AGAIN
Alex Rodriguez hit a solo homer off Olson in the third, to extend NY's lead to 4-0. Tonight Olson does not have good command, leaving way too many pitches up in the zone. NY threatening for more in the 4th with a 4-0 lead.
SHOREBIRDS WIN GAME ONE
At home tonight, Delmarva beat Kannapolis, 3-1, in game one of a doubeheader. Zack Britton pitched a complete-game, five-hitter in the seven-inning contest. He is now 4-3 with an ERA of 2.98. Joe Nowicki went 2-3 with a solo homer.
YANKEES SCORE FIRST
NYY 3 O's 0......end of second
With one out in the second, Shelley Duncan singled to left and scored on a Robinson Cano double to deep right. The next hitter, Chad Moeller, snapped a 1-14, with an RBI single to left for a 2-0 New York lead.
After another single and walk loaded the bases, Jeter hit a slow roller along the first base line that went for an RBI groundout and 3-0 edge. Three runs on four hits in the second. Olson threw a whopping 34 pitches that inning.
BAYSOX WIN STREAK ENDS
The Bowie Baysox began today tied for first place and with a nine-game win streak. But they lost 9-2 at Erie this afternoon, ending the long win streak.
Bowie scored on a Lou Montanez solo HR and Ryan Finan RBI double. Losing pitcher Kyle Schmidt allowed five runs in four innings. The Baysox fall one win short of their team record, 10 straight, set last year.
The Baysox play at Erie Thursday at 11:05am. Brad Bergesen (4-0 1.36) is to start for Bowie.
O's and NYY, 0-0, after first inning.
GAME TWO IS UNDERWAY
The Birds and Yankees are underway in game two of the series in the Bronx. The O's, in posting a 3-1 record vs. NY this year, have hit .288, scoring 27 runs vs. the Yankees. O's pitching has worked to an ERA of 2.75 in the four contests.
Check back here tonight often for news, analysis and updates.
PRE-GAME NOTES
The Orioles have now won 5 of 6 and 8 of 10 games. They are 13-10 in their last 23 games against New York.
The Yankees have lost four in a row, a season high. They are 1-6 in their last seven and are now just 6-12 since April 28. At 20-25, they are in last place in the AL East, 7.5 games behind Boston.
The O's are 3-1 vs. the Yankees on the season. In the three wins, they have outscored New York 26-4.
The Orioles continue to get solid pitching and their team ERA is down to 3.97, their lowest since April 10. A win tonight would give the O's wins in four straight series.
THE PITCHERS
LPH Garrett Olson will make his 5th start of the season and 12th of his Orioles career tonight. Olson is 3-0 with an ERA of 3.47 in four starts. The Orioles are 3-1 when he starts this season.
He picked up the win his last time out, Friday vs. Washington. He pitched five innings, giving up nine hits and three runs. He threw 70 pitches.
Over his first two starts since joining the O's from AAA, Olson's ERA was 2.08. Over his last two starts, it is 5.23 (6er - 10.1 IP).
The 24-year-old lefty has given up just 3 hits in 16 at bats when pitching with runners in scoring position. Left-handed batters hit .263 vs. Olson while right-handed batters hit .282. Olson has walked just two over his last three starts, in 16.2 innings.
In 11 career big-league starts, he is 4-3, 5.98. He has never faced the Yankees.
For the Yankees, RHP Darrel Rasner is set to make his 3rd start of the season and 13th of his career tonight. Rasner is 2-0, 3.00, giving up 2ER over 6IP in starts vs. Seattle and Detroit so far.
The 27-year-old began the season at AAA Scranton and was 4-0, 0.87 in five starts. In 31 innings he gave up just 3ER on 18 hits. He did not allow a homer and was leading the International League in ERA when recalled on May 4th.
It has been 11 days since his last outing. He was set to pitch last Friday vs. the Mets but that game was rained out.
In two career starts vs. the Orioles, Rasner is 0-2, 13.50. In 6.2IP vs. the O's he has allowed 10ER on 13 hits.
NICK THE STICK PERFECT VS RASNER
Darrel Rasner has made just two career starts vs. the O's, with an ERA of 13.50 in those two. Nick Markakis is 5-5 with a double vs. Rasner. Kevin Millar is 2-3 with a homer.
How will Rasner respond tonight after an 11-day layoff ? Will the O's get to him again as they have twice before ?
ADAM JONES HOT STREAK
A scoring change from Saturday's game with Washington has helped Adam Jones have a six-game hit streak. Originally he was 0-4 in the game, but a play was later changed to an infield single, making him 1-4.
With his four hits last night, Jones is batting .521 (11-21) in his last six games. He has three multi-hit contests over the last six. His average has increased from .223 to .265.
Tuesday, he ripped an 0-2 Mussina pitch for a first-inning, three-run double. He later added an RBI single and two more singles. Jones had just one RBI in the previous 15 games before his breakout night.
Some other O's are hitting better too. Kevin Millar is 5-14 over four games and has 10 RBI over his last 14 games. Luke Scott is 7-19 over six games and has homered three times in his last five games. Brian Roberts is batting .391 (9-23) over seven games with two doubles, two triples and eight runs scored.
THE ORIOLES DURING THEIR 8-2 RUN
The offense: .267 average, 52 runs, 11 homers
Team ERA: 3.24
Starting pitchers: 8-2 with 3.22 ERA
YANKEES WALK STATS
When NYY pitching walks 3 or less: Yankees 18-9 record
When NYY pitching walks 4 or more: Yankees 2-16 record
New York walked six O's last night.
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