Orioles rally past Yankees 10-9 in 11 innings

[May 28, 2008]  BALTIMORE (AP) -- A wacky game featuring nine home runs, 12 pitchers and a 67-minute rain delay was ultimately decided when the Baltimore Orioles mounted one final rally after midnight.

Aubrey Huff doubled in the tie-breaking run in the 11th inning and scored the game-winner on a long single by Alex Cintron, giving the Orioles a 10-9 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night.

After New York took a 9-8 lead in the 11th against Matt Albers (3-1) on an RBI single by Hideki Matsui, Melvin Mora led off the bottom half with a single off LaTroy Hawkins (1-1). One out later, Huff doubled and took third as Mora beat the throw to the plate.

Hawkins then issued two straight intentional walks before Cintron hit a fly ball to right over the drawn-in outfield.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 525th career home run, and Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu also connected for New York. All four homers came against Orioles starter Brian Burres.

But the mistake-prone Yankees made three errors, including two poor throws by Rodriguez from third base, and twice blew four-run leads. Derek Jeter was also picked off second base.

Kevin Millar homered twice, and Ramon Hernandez, Luke Scott and Mora also went deep for the Orioles.

Damon led off the ninth with his fourth hit, a double off George Sherrill. Jeter then stepped to the plate as a steady downpour began. After Jeter failed to lay down a bunt, he struck out swinging. Abreu then took a third strike, and Rodriguez received an intentional walk.

Both runners moved up on a double steal before the rain intensified. Yankees manager Joe Girardi went out to talk to home plate umpire Doug Eddings, pleading for a stoppage in play, before Matsui lined out to first.

Play was halted for 1 hour, 7 minutes before the bottom half started.

Yankees starter Ian Kennedy left after three innings with a slightly strained muscle near his right rib cage. He gave up four runs, three earned, and two home runs.

Burres allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 3 2-3 innings. In his previous two outings against New York this season, the left-hander permitted only one run in a combined 13 1-3 innings.

New York used a four-run fourth to go up 8-4. After Burres got two quick outs, Damon doubled and scored on a single by Jeter. Abreu then homered to right, and Rodriguez followed with his seventh home run of the season to chase Burres.

On an ordinary night, that would have been enough to win. But Baltimore rallied against Ross Ohlendorf in the fifth, using a two-run drive by Mora and successive solo shots by Scott and Millar to tie it at 8.

Baltimore missed a chance to take the lead in the seventh when Abreu threw out Millar trying to score on a two-out single to right by Hernandez. The play enabled Yankees reliever Edwar Ramirez to keep his 0.00 ERA intact.

Giambi got the Yankees started in the second inning with his 10th home run, the 41st in the 17-year history of Camden Yards to reach Eutaw Street beyond the right-field scoreboard. Giambi hit No. 38 in September 2005. It was also the first extra-base hit allowed by Burres this season.

The second would come four batters later, when Damon homered with two on to put New York ahead 4-0.

Baltimore tied it in the bottom half. Millar hit the 150th home run of his career, a two-run shot, and Hernandez followed with his fourth homer of the season. Adam Jones then singled and scored on a two-out throwing error by Rodriguez.

Notes: Jeter's fourth-inning single snapped a 1-for-24 skid. He played in his 1,881st game with New York, tying Roy White for sixth on the Yankees' career list. ... Millar's last two-homer game was in April 2006 vs. Tampa Bay. ... The nine home runs were two short of the record at Camden Yards. ... Baltimore twice hit consecutive homers after going 50 games without doing it once.

[Associated Press; By DAVID GINSBURG]

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