Pettitte pitches NY to series opening win vs. Birds

It didn't turn out to be a magical night for Andy Pettitte, but still a pretty good one as he pitched the Yankees past the Orioles 5-1 at Camden Yards. Pettitte took a perfect game bid into the 7th and retired the first two batters of the inning. His run of retiring 20 straight ended there when third baseman Jerry Hairson booted Adam Jones' grounder for an error. Nick Markakis followed with a single to left to break up the no-hit bid. Melvin Mora led off the 8th with a homer to deny Pettitte a shutout. Pettitte improved to 12-6, 4.03. Over eight innings he gave up just two hits and one run with no walks and eight strikeouts. He threw 104 pitches. He is 2-0, 1.17 this year vs. the Orioles and 26-6, 3.56 in 39 career games, 37 starts vs. Baltimore. New York took a 1-0 lead when Nick Swisher led off the third with a 386-foot homer to right center. It was his 22nd of the year, his fourth vs. the Orioles and the 30th homer allowed by Jeremy Guthrie. The Yankees made it 2-0 in the 5th on back-to-back doubles by Robinson Cano and Swisher and they put the game away with a three-run 8th on a Johnny Damon RBI single and a Cano two-run double. Losing pitcher Jeremy Guthrie allowed two runs and four hits over six innings. He falls to 9-13, 5.18. The Yankees have won four in a row and 21 of their last 27 games. They are 10-3 on the year vs. the Orioles, who fall to 2-3 on this homestand. NYY.....5-10-1 Balt......1-3-1