I'll ease into it by pointing out that Adam Jones hit his 11th home run to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. It was the first home run allowed this month by Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia.
Why do I hear the ringing of a cash register every time Jones homers?
The lead grew to 2-0 in the third, and rookie Xavier Avery was in the middle of the rally.
Avery is batting ninth tonight so Robert Andino, 7-for-18 with a double and home run lifetime against Sabathia before tonight, could move atop the order. Avery reached on his first major league bunt single, laying down a beauty after Steve Tolleson led off with a double and using his blazing speed to avoid making the first out.
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was playing up, anticipating that Avery would try to advance Tolleson. Avery wasn't quite ready for his first major league sacrifice bunt. Maybe another night.
The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs after Sabathia grazed Andino, but J.J. Hardy grounded into a double play. Tolleson scored, but the Yankees gladly traded one run for two outs.
Avery had a double, triple, RBI and two runs scored last night after going 0-for-4 in his debut.
Wei-Yin Chen is shutting out the Yankees on two hits over four innings, with two hits, one walk and one strikeout. He's thrown 51 pitches, 31 for strikes.
Chen has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his first six starts. He hasn't surrendered more than three.
Update: Avery drew his first major league walk in the fifth inning and scored his third major league run on Hardy's double after Andino laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Orioles 3, Yankees 0.
Chen has allowed two hits, walked one and struck out two in five scoreless innings. He's thrown 68 pitches, 42 for strikes.
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