Hardy hits first homer of 2015 (O's down 5-1)

NEW YORK - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy hit his first home run today and his first in the regular season since Aug. 31, 2014 against the Twins.

Hardy saw two four-seamers and two cutters from Yankees starter Michael Pineda before pulling an 85 mph slider into the left field seats to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead.

Hardy also homered on Oct. 2 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Tigers. He's 2-for-12 since coming off the disabled list.

Pineda has struck out five batters in two innings. Adam Jones doubled with one out in the first.

Manny Machado is leading off for the seventh time today, with no obvious choice on the roster to replace him atop the order. He fanned in the first inning.

Machado is 6-for-22 with a double, home run, four walks and five runs scored as the leadoff hitter this season.

"If I had one of those guys like a few teams do have, you put him there, but it's been shown that it's not a necessity. It's a luxury," said manager Buck Showalter.

"Manny's responded well to it. I think he would have whether you hit him ninth or first."

Alejandro De Aza broke a 4-for-34 slump with a home run yesterday and he could return to the leadoff spot. He's hitting seventh today.

"I'm hoping to build on it," Showalter said. "The hardest ball he hit yesterday was the ball they ran down in left-center field. He hit three balls hard yesterday. I'm hoping he can get going a little bit. We know he's capable of better."

Bud Norris has thrown 43 pitches in two scoreless innings. He allowed a single and walked a batter in the first, but Caleb Joseph threw out Brett Gardner trying to steal third base with Brian McCann at the plate. No idea what Gardner was thinking.

Joseph has thrown out 5 of 14 runners attempting to steal. He started out 0-for-8.

Carlos Beltran singled off the right field fence in the second and Stephen Drew walked with two outs, but Norris struck out Didi Gregorius.

Update: Carlos Beltran hit his first home run, a solo shot in the fourth to tie the game 1-1.

Chase Headley walked, and singles by Stephen Drew and Didi Gregorius gave New York a 2-1 lead.

Headley held up, then raced home when Young's throw sailed to third.

Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a two-run double over De Aza, who was late breaking back on the ball, and Norris is done after only 3 1/3 innings.

Norris allowed four runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings, with three walks, two strikeouts, a home run and a hit batter. He threw 88 pitches, 43 for strikes, and raised his ERA to 9.88 in 27 1/3 innings.

Players are swinging pink bats and wearing pink spikes and undershirts for breast cancer awareness on Mother's Day.

"I think it's great," Showalter said. "The shoes, I've got to wear them for an inning and I will, OK? But I'll have a pair of black ones up the runway. It's for a great cause. We don't need to be reminded, but it's always good to be recognized.

"I know my mother's preparing for the game today right now. She's probaby at church and she'll head home and get ready. You've got to be on the front porch 15 minutes before game time or you don't get in. She'll smell popcorn and she'll sit there and watch the game. And I think about it before I make an ass of myself on the field. It does cross my mind, because she can read lips.

"Usually her advice is very sound. You are who you hang around. Those types of things. We've all heard them, right?"

Update II: McCann homered into the second deck in right field off Matusz in the fifth to give New York a 5-1 lead.