Yanks Blow Lead In 9th, Lose In Extras
BALTIMORE (AP) — Luke Scott tied the game with a ninth-inning homer off Mariano Rivera, then scored the winning run in the 11th to give the Baltimore Orioles a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.
Scott led off the 11th with a double against David Robertson (4-5). Ty Wigginton followed with a single to right-center, scoring Scott without a throw and providing the Orioles with their eighth straight extra-inning win.
Mike Gonzalez (1-3) got the victory with one hectic inning of work.
Baltimore trailed 3-2 before Scott hit a drive to right off Rivera leading off the ninth. It was the first home run of the month for Scott, who entered 1 for 12 lifetime against Rivera.
One inning earlier, the Orioles got within a run on a pinch-hit RBI single by Felix Pie.
Yankees starter Andy Pettitte returned from a two-month stay on the disabled list to allow one run, three hits and a walk in six innings. The left-hander, who had been sidelined since July 18 with a strained left groin, retired his final 11 batters.
Before the game, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Pettitte: "If we can get six innings out of him, I'll be thrilled."
Pettitte left with New York up 3-1. Rivera's fourth blown save deprived Pettitte of the victory, but the veteran starter could take consolation in pitching so well after such a long layoff.
After missing 57 games, Pettitte is back in time to contribute to the Yankees' push to win the AL East. New York has a half-game lead over Tampa Bay, which opens a four-game series at Yankee Stadium on Monday night.
Girardi planned to rest first baseman Mark Teixeira and third baseman Alex Rodriguez, but both were summoned as pinch hitters in the 11th. Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Eduardo Nunez, who advanced to third when Gonzalez threw wildly off his back foot toward first base.
After Marcus Thames struck out, Teixeira and Derek Jeter received intentional walks before Lance Berkman grounded into a double play.
That doomed New York to its sixth defeat in a nine-game swing through Texas, Tampa Bay and Baltimore.
The Yankees got a first-inning run against Chris Tillman when Brett Gardner walked and scored on a two-out single by Robinson Cano. In the bottom half, cleanup hitter Adam Jones drove in a run with a two-out bunt.
New York used four walks and a single to go up 3-1 in the fourth. After Cano led off with a four-pitch walk, Nick Swisher struck out and Jorge Posada walked before Curtis Granderson lined an RBI single up the middle.
After a walk to Austin Kearns loaded the bases, Ramiro Pena, playing third base for Rodriguez, hit into a force play at the plate. Tillman then forced in a run by walking Gardner on four pitches.
NOTES: Cano has a 12-game hitting streak against Baltimore. ... New York won the season series 13-5. ... Tillman issued six walks, tying a career high. ... The Orioles improved to 27-17 under manager Buck Showalter.
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