A pitchers' duel emerges

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

April 23, 2011, 4:20pm

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After the Yankees' early offense, this game has settled into a pitchers' duel. Brad Bergesen gave up four hits to the first five hitters he faced tonight and has allowed just two to the last 17 batters he has faced. Bergesen has really settled in and, after needing 26 pitches to get through New York's three-run first, has needed just 52 pitches from the second through fifth innings. But the way C.C. Sabathia has pitched, those three runs in the first may be more than enough tonight. He retired the first 11 batters he faced tonight before a two-out single in the O's fourth by Derrek Lee. Sabathia needed just 12 pitches in the first, six in the second, 10 in the third and nine in the fourth inning. He is working in the fifth with a 3-0 lead trying to improve to 15-2 in his career against the Orioles. The Yankees have won 26 of the last 33 in this series and are 16-6 in their last 22 games at Camden Yards. Update: When the Yankees moved out to a lead of 13-3 with a seven-run eighth it looked like this blog became outdated. Way outdated. My bad.