The New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 to win their AL Division Series matchup three games to two, and to advance to the ALCS to play the Detroit Tigers starting on Saturday.
CC Sabathia must have watched Justin Verlander's pitching performance on Thursday night in Oakland, because he dominated the Orioles much like Verlander dominated the A's. Sabathia threw a complete game, allowing one run on four hits while walking two and striking out nine. Sabathia ran into his issues, notably in the sixth when a Nate McLouth fly ball was controversially called foul when replays appeared to show the ball nick the foul pole, and in the eighth when the Orioles only got one run in the eighth after putting runners on base at will, but overall, Sabathia was in control of the entire flow of the game.
Jason Hammel kept the Orioles in the game, much like Jarrod Parker did against Verlander, but it wasn't enough at the end of the day. Hammel allowed two runs on four hits over 5 2/3, walking two and striking out six. The first Yankees run came in the fifth, when Mark Teixeira singled, stole second (somehow), and scored on a Raul Ibanez single. Hammel's day ended in the sixth inning, when he labored after he allowed an RBI double to Ichiro to make it 2-0. Hammel struck Robinson Cano out and intentionally walked Teixiera to end his night. Troy Patton relieved Hammel, and allowed a second deck homer to Curtis Granderson in the seventh to make it 3-0.
The eighth inning was the key inning for the Orioles to get back into the game. Sabathia started the inning by allowing a single to Matt Wieters, and then walked Manny Machado. After a Mark Reynolds strikeout (shocking), Lew Ford singled under the glove of Derek Jeter (again, shocking) to score Wieters and make it a 3-1 game. Robert Andino followed with an infield single to loaded the bases with one out and the top of Baltimore's order coming up. Of course, Nate McLouth struck out and JJ Hardy grounded out to Jeter on a ball a more flight of foot player could have beaten out. That ended the inning, and pretty much signified the end of the Orioles' season.
The Yankees season will continue, while a surprising and uplifting Orioles season comes to an end. New York will be without the services of CC Sabathia until at least game three of the ALCS against the Tigers, the same amount of time that Detroit won't have Justin Verlander. Game one will be on Friday at 8:07 PM, and Doug Fister will start against Andy Pettitte in the Bronx.
