Everything pretty much went right for the Yankees in this game. Masahiro Tanaka pitched pretty well. The offense had a good game. And even when the offense wasn't getting hits, they were still getting lucky bounces off bases and stuff. Everything that could've gone the Yankees' way did and that allowed them to beat the Orioles 9-3 to complete a sweep.
In the bottom of the first, the Yankees got off to a pretty perfect start. Jacoby Ellsbury led off the game with a single, which was followed by two straight walks to Brett Gardner and Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees had the bases loaded with no one out. However, neither Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran could do anything, leaving the inning up to Chase Headley. Headley would clear the bases with a double off the wall. All three runners scored and Headley went to third on the throw home. Didi Gregorius followed that with a single, scoring Headley to make it 4-0.
The Orioles cut into the Yankees' lead in the top of the second. Chris Davis led off the inning with a home run, making it 4-1. But the Yankees would get that run right back in the bottom of the second. Ellsbury answered back with a solo home run of his own.
And in the third, the Yankees added even more. With one out in the inning, Gregorius and John Ryan Murphy reached with back-to-back singles. Stephen Drew then added a double. That made it 6-1 and chased Ubaldo Jimenez from the game. Ellsbury then popped one up for the second out, but it was deep enough for Murphy to tag up and add another run.
The Yankees picked up some more runs in the fifth thanks to some fun plays. Headley led off the inning with a single. After Gregorius lined out, Murphy got his second hit of the day after he grounded one off of second base and over the heads of the Orioles' infielders. For the second time in this game, had picked up a hit after a ball ricocheted off a base. After that, Drew flew out, bringing Ellsbury up. Ellsbury hit one to left field. David Lough attempted to make a sliding catch, but he missed. The ball bounced past him, allowing both Headley and Murphy to score. That made it 9-1.
After the home run by Davis, Tanaka was dominant. After the home run, he allowed just two other base runners through the seventh inning, and one of those came on an error. But in the eighth, he allowed another home run to JJ Hardy. It wasn't too big a deal though, as it only cut the Yankees' lead to seven runs. However, a couple batters later, he allowed another home run, this time to Manny Machado. That made it 9-3 and brought Girardi out of the dugout. Tanaka allowed three runs on four hits in his 7.2 innings pitched. He struck out seven with no walks. Chris Capuano came in for Tanaka and finished off the eighth.
Capuano would remain in for the ninth and got the first two outs before Girardi returned to the bullpen and brought in Branden Pinder. He got the last out without any fuss and the Yankees finished off a 9-3 win and a sweep of the Orioles.
The Yankees will now head out to Minnesota for a series against the Twins starting tomorrow at 8:10 eastern. Our old friend Phil Hughes will get the start for Minnesota, while Michael Pineda will start for the Yankees.