Yankees 3, Orioles 2
NEW YORK -- Vernon Wells singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning as the New York Yankees rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees were three out from falling to 1-26 when scoring two runs or less and dropping their sixth straight to the Orioles.
That changed when Wells poked a hit into left field against Jim Johnson (2-7), who blew his league-leading sixth save in 35 opportunities.
The comeback started when rookie David Adams lined a 1-1 fastball into right field for a base hit. Brett Gardner followed with a bunt that Johnson misplayed for an error.
Ichiro Suzuki sacrificed the runners over and, with first base open, the Orioles intentionally walked Robinson Cano. That left the responsibility of producing the go-ahead or tying hit to Travis Hafner.
Hafner tied the score without swinging as he drew a four-pitch walk. Wells also got ahead 2-0 in the count before it went to 2-2 and ultimately delivered the winning hit.
Ivan Nova (3-2) picked up the win, pitching a three-hitter in his first career complete game. Nova, who was making a spot start for Hiroki Kuroda (left hip), allowed a two-run homer to Matt Wieters in the third and also struck out a season-high 11 hitters
The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the second. Chris Davis was hit with a pitch and, three pitches later, Matt Wieters hit a 1-1 fastball off the top of the left field wall and into the seats for his 11th home run of the season.
Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez cruised until two outs in the fourth when he allowed a single to Wells and walked Lyle Overbay before giving up a two-strike RBI single to Luis Cruz.
The Yankees had the bases loaded after Cano was intentionally walked with one out in the fifth, but Hafner flied out to shallow center on a 3-1 pitch and Wells fouled out to first base.
After allowing the home run, Nova settled down by retiring the next 12 hitters and capitalizing on the defense behind him. Cruz made two nice plays in the third at shortstop and Nova struck out the side in the fifth on 13 pitches.
NOTES: New York 3B Alex Rodriguez (hip) was slated to play in his third rehab game this time for Class A Tampa in the first game of a doubleheader with Lakeland, but the game was rained out. Rodriguez is 0-for-4 since starting his rehab assignment Tuesday with Class A Charleston. .... SS Derek Jeter (ankle) will start his rehab assignment on Saturday night for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre and will play at least five innings. ... The Yankees begin the second half with a three-game series at Boston, but general manager Brian Cashman said he will not feel pressure to activate both. ... RHP Wei-Yin Chen was with the Orioles after pitching seven innings in a rehab start for Double-A Bowie on Thursday. Chen has been on the DL since May 14 with a strained right oblique and the Orioles will make a decision on whether to activate him after a bullpen session Saturday or Sunday. Manager Buck Showalter also hinted the team could use a six-man rotation when Chen is activated.
