O's say Jimenez created momentum with first-inning escape act against New York

On a night they scored 11 runs on 16 hits and won by eight runs, two Orioles players tonight pointed to the top of the first inning as a key to their 11-3 win over the Yankees.

Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez faced a bases-loaded, no out situation and got out of that without allowing a single run. The O's could have come to bat trailing by three or four runs or worse.

"That was huge, especially to start the game off like that and to hang in and battle," Chris Davis said of Jimenez. "You would think the momentum was in their dugout. But shutting them down right there kind of put it back in our dugout."

Catcher Caleb Joseph had a good seat for Ubaldo's escape act.

"He just did a great job," Joseph said. "Most would be happy with just giving up one there but he was able to pull some tricks out of his bag and put up a zero and then really grinded it out. We had a game plan there and we had to deviate from it real quick to get some outs. Great job by him. It gave us momentum and the crowd got into it."

Later the Orioles' offense got into it big time. They hammered Michael Pineda for nine hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings. It was about one month ago when he dominated them with 16 strikeouts in New York in a seven-inning outing.

"You always want to play up to the competition," Davis said. "We knew we had a challenge ahead of us. We did our homework. I thought his stuff in New York was just so sharp. Tonight he didn't quite look as sharp and we were able to take advantage of that.

"We are definitely swinging the bats well now. It's big for us to have great at-bats. Don't just go up hacking, but have an approach and a plan and stick to it. It will pay off throughout the course of the season. I know a lot of guys in the lineup like to be aggressive, but, at the same time, you have to be aggressive in the strikezone. We've been doing that lately."

Joseph talked about being able to beat Pineda and also that the Orioles have won five in a row and seven of eight.

"We were able to really punish the mistakes and he didn't make many in New York," Joseph said. "Whether it be the time off or whatever, we took advantage of his mistakes and then we added on.

"The sum of all parts are finally starting to click. Getting contributions from a lot of people in here. We've had some additions and there are more coming. There was no panic button ever from the first week of the season. Guys in this clubhouse have been through the rigorous season. Right about now is when we started taking off (last year)."

The Orioles are now 28-3 when Joseph drives in at least one run. Against New York this year, Joseph is batting .560 (14-for-25) with two homers, five RBIs, a .960 slugging percentage and 1.537 OPS.

Jimenez went five innings allowing three runs and six hits to get the win and is 4-3 with a 3.19 ERA. In nine starts at Camden Yards since June 30, 2014, he is 7-1 with a 2.44 ERA.

"It was a blessing to get out of that (first) inning without any damage," Jimenez said. "It was a really tough inning, but I threw a lot of pitches in that inning and that is why I couldn't go deeper in the game.

"It was really hot. But their lineup was tough - they work the count and take some good swings at it. My last two games have been really tough. Have had to grind it out and find whatever I can to get out of innings."

The Orioles are 15-8 against New York since June 21, 2014 and at Camden Yards they have won nine of 11 and 16 of the last 22 games between these teams.