Hart on his first win, Smith on his homer, Jiménez on his outing

On a night that right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez struggled and the club fell into a four-run hole, the Orioles called on their bullpen and power to bail them out.

Manny Machado's three-run homer pulled the Orioles within 5-4 in the fifth inning and Seth Smith's two-run shot gave them the lead two innings later. The bullpen recorded 4 2/3 scoreless innings as the Orioles beat the Yankees 6-5 to go to 3-0.

Smith said Machado's homer got his team back in the game. It was a laser to left-center off a 96 mph Luis Severino fastball.

"That was big. Kind of a turning point," Smith said of Machado's first homer of 2017. "Middle of the game, down four at that point, 5-1. You can let it slip away pretty easily if they get another run or two there. But he came through, pulled us close and at that point you kind of have a new energy."

When Smith batted against right-hander Tyler Clippard in the seventh, the score was still 5-4 New York and Jonathan Schoop was on third with one out. A fly ball would tie it - or put the Orioles ahead if hit far enough. This one barely was, clearing the right-field wall at a 348-foot distance.

"It is nice to come up with a runner on third and less than two outs and come through," Smith said. "You have a job to do there. Especially late in the game, you want to make sure you do something to score that run. He's a tough at-bat. A really good changeup and a sneaky fastball off that changeup. Anytime you can barrel him up, it's a good at-bat.

"You are hoping to hit a fly ball, but really, you are just trying to hit the ball hard. It's too tough to try to dictate exactly where the ball goes, but I was able to get that one in the air."

In two starts with the Orioles, Smith is 3-for-8 (.375) with two doubles, a homer, three runs and two RBIs. That was Smith's first career hit in six at-bats off Clippard.

"Just fun to be part of a lineup like this. It is fun to hit around guys that put together good at-bats and hit the ball really hard and far," he said.

Smith's homer made lefty reliever Donnie Hart a winning pitcher for the first time in the majors. Hart got one out and gave up one hit in the top of the seventh.

In his 23rd big league appearance, he is in the win column for the first time.

"I wasn't aware of that until I got in here and one of the veteran guys let me know," Hart said. "It's nice. It really hasn't sunk in yet. It's one of those things you will look back on and cherish and enjoy it. It something you work for all your life and nice to have now.

"It is pretty cool. More or less, it felt better to get that first game out of the way. You are itching to get out there and you finally do and that was fun."

In three games, the Orioles bullpen has pitched 12 1/3 scoreless innings.

"It's been good," Hart said. "That is kind of our motto down there is give it to the next guy and do your job so everyone else can do their job."

Jiménez had two pitches wind up in bad spots and they went for two-run homers for Matt Holliday and Gary Sánchez as the Yankees took the 5-1 lead. Jiménez allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings. He has a 6.38 career ERA in 12 starts versus the Yankees.

"It was difficult for everyone," Jiménez said of the 45-degree temperature at gametime. "That is no excuse. I just hung two splitters and they made me pay for it. I threw a couple of good ones, but those two just hung in there. It was a tough night to play but the guys picked me up. Our hitters kept grinding."

The Orioles are 3-0 for the second year in a row. They started 7-0 last year. They have won six of their last eight games against New York and are 7-3 versus the Yankees in the last 10 meetings at Camden Yards.