Yankees 6, Orioles 2
BALTIMORE - Derek Jeter got three hits in the first four innings, and starting pitcher Ivan Nova won his 13th straight regular-season game to help New York earn its first victory, a 6-2 decision over Baltimore before 25,478 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Monday night.
Jeter played a big role in helping Nova and the Yankees (1-3) get that win. The veteran shortstop finished 4-for-4 with a sacrifice bunt. He had three singles, one double and one RBI as the Yankees rebounded after losing their first three games in Tampa Bay.
The 37-year old shortstop singled and scored in the first. He singled in the third, and banged out an RBI double in a three-run fourth when New York took the lead for good.
In addition, Jeter added a sacrifice bunt in the sixth and an eighth-inning single. That increased his early-season batting average to .412. He entered the game hitting .231.
All that offense helped Nova keep his winning streak alive. Nova (1-0) gave up two runs on 10 hits in seven innings. He struck out seven, didn't walk a batter and worked his way out of some jams.
This victory gives Nova the longest current winning streak among Major League pitchers, putting him ahead of Detroit's Justin Verlander.
The Tiger right-hander has won 12 in a row but had a no-decision on Opening Day last week.
In addition, the Yankees now are undefeated in Nova's last 17 starts in the regular season. Nova lost in Game 5 of the American League Divisional Series versus the Tigers, coming out after just two innings with a tight right forearm.
Nova got lots of help from his Yankee teammates at the plate. Everyone in the starting lineup reached base, and six different players had one RBI as New York ended up with 11 hits.
The Yankees took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Jeter led off with a single off Baltimore starter Brian Matusz (0-1), advanced to second on Alex Rodriguez's two-out walk and scored when Mark Teixeira singled.
Baltimore tied it in the bottom of the second when Matt Wieters hit a solo homer. New York and the Orioles both came up empty on third-inning threats before the Yankees took the lead with a three-run fourth.
Matusz helped New York by walking three in that inning, and his back-to-back free passes to Curtis Granderson and Andruw Jones started the rally. After Jones walked, Russell Martin snapped the tie with an RBI single to left.
Jones moved to third on the play when Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold misplayed the single. Eduardo Nunez followed with a sacrifice fly, and Jeter then lined an RBI double to right for a 4-1 lead.
That was Jeter's third hit in the first four innings.
New York wore down Matusz with its patience at the plate. The Yankees repeatedly worked the count, putting the left-hander behind with most batters, and he needed 96 pitches to get through his four-inning stint.
Jones made it 5-1 with his solo homer off Darren O'Day in the sixth. Brett Gardner came in for Jones in the bottom of the sixth and added an RBI single in the seventh.
The Orioles cut the lead to 6-2 on a Chris Davis' RBI double in the sixth. That drove in Wilson Betemit, who doubled off Nova to start the inning. But Nova retired the next three batters to end his night.
Wieters finished 4-for-4 with two singles, a double and a homer. The four hits tied a career high for the Baltimore catcher. The Orioles (3-1) ended up with 13 hits overall but wasted a number of scoring chances.
