Sabathia leads Yankees over Orioles 8-3

[April 29, 2010]  BALTIMORE (AP) -- CC Sabathia allowed three runs in 7 2-3 innings, Robinson Cano homered, and the New York Yankees took control early against the Baltimore Orioles in an 8-3 victory Wednesday night.

Nick Swisher had his second straight three-hit game for the Yankees, who built a 6-0 lead in the third inning against Jeremy Guthrie (0-3).

Sabathia (3-1) gave up 11 hits, struck out five and walked two. The left-hander came within four outs of becoming the first Yankee since David Wells in 1998 to pitch three straight complete games.

In 15 career appearances against Baltimore, Sabathia is 10-1 with a 2.62 ERA. He had pitched 54 innings at Camden Yards without allowing a home run before Nick Markakis connected in the seventh.

Miguel Tejada had two hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who fell to 1-7 at home. Baltimore's first winning streak of the season -- a modest two games -- ended.

Guthrie allowed seven runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings.

Three slumping hitters teamed in the first inning to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. After Derek Jeter ended a 2-for-16 slide with a leadoff double, Nick Johnson (1 for 14) singled to left. The ball got past Lou Montanez, allowing Jeter to score and Johnson to take second. After a groundout, Alex Rodriguez (1 for 17) hit a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom half, Sabathia struck out Matt Wieters with runners at the corners and two outs.

New York made it 5-0 in the second. Jorge Posada was struck in the right knee by a pitch, Curtis Granderson snapped a 0-for-17 skid with a single and both scored on a triple by Swisher. One out later, Jeter delivered a run-scoring fly to right.

Posada was replaced behind the plate in the bottom of the inning by Francisco Cervelli. Posada left with a bruised right knee, an injury that was not perceived to be serious.

Cano hit his sixth home run in the third for a 6-0 lead. In the Baltimore half, Tejada drove in a run with a groundout.

Cervelli singled in a run in the fifth and Jeter made it 8-1 with an RBI single in the sixth. In the Baltimore sixth, Tejada doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Reimold.

NOTES: Jeter's double tied Don Mattingly for third place on the Yankees' career list (442). ... Cano has 15 lifetime homers against Baltimore, tied with Boston for the most against any team. ... Markakis, who came in 2 for 17 lifetime against Sabathia, went 3 for 4 against the lefty. ... Mark Teixeira went 1 for 5 and is batting .133.

[Associated Press; By DAVID GINSBURG]

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