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NEW YORK (AP) -Yankees manager
Joe Girardi
must have figured something was up when he walked into his office after New York finished off the
Baltimore Orioles
.
There was general manager Brian Cashman, ready to talk - and not about
Bobby Abreu
's two home runs or another strong start from
Joba Chamberlain
.
The Yankees shored up the catcher spot by acquiring 14-time All-Star
Ivan Rodriguez
from the
Detroit Tigers
on Wednesday, a deal that went down just as Abreu was hitting the second of his two homers to go along with one by
Alex Rodriguez
in a 13-3 rout of the Orioles.
''Guys like Pudge don't come around every day,'' Girardi said. ''He's the complete player.''
Jorge Posada
had season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday, and while defensive whiz
Jose Molina
has been solid behind the plate, the 36-year-old Rodriguez still represents a significant upgrade. He was hitting .295 with
five homers in 82 games this season, and has 13 Gold Gloves to his credit.
New York gave up reliever
Kyle Farnsworth
to get him, a move made possible with the acquisition of reliever
Damaso Marte
along with outfielder
Xavier Nady
from Pittsburgh last Friday.
''He's hopefully going to be an important part of what we're trying to do this year,'' said A-Rod, who was teammates with
Rodriguez from 2001-02 with the
Texas Rangers
.
Cashman said the deal was finalized during the seventh inning of the game against Baltimore, which helped New York avoid its
first three game sweep by the Orioles at Yankee Stadium since 1986.
Abreu did most of the damage in a rare start at DH, adding a double to his two homers while giving the Yankees a big boost
as they head into a four-game series with the
Los Angeles Angels
. Forty-one of New York's last 55 games are against teams at or above .500.
''I don't really like too much the DH. It's one of the ways to get a day off,'' Abreu said, smiling. ''I had a good day, but
I don't like the DH.''
Mixing an improving slider with an overpowering fastball,
Joba Chamberlain
retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced to win consecutive starts for the first time in his young career. He gave up two
runs - only one earned - and five hits in six innings, striking out six without a walk.
Chamberlain (4-3) has allowed only two earned runs over his last three starts covering 19 innings.
''They were aggressive early on the fastball,'' Chamberlain said. ''When Jose recognizes that and our offense scores runs,
it's pretty easy.''
Taking the ball in place of
Brian Burres
just a short drive from where he grew up, Baltimore right-hander
Dennis Sarfate
struggled with control and got little help from his defense in his first big league start.
By the time Sarfate (4-2) left after four innings, the career reliever had allowed five runs - three earned - on only two
hits with three walks.
''I've seen him pitch better,'' Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. ''And when Sarfate came out of the game, our bullpen didn't
back him up.''
Derek Jeter
and Abreu drew one-out walks in the first before A-Rod roped a base hit to right field.
Nick Markakis
tried to nab the Yankees' captain at home, but his throw sailed high and Abreu followed to the plate, deftly sliding around
the tag of catcher
Guillermo Quiroz
.
Moments later, Rodriguez came home on a passed ball to make it 3-1.
The Orioles got one back in the third on an RBI single by Markakis, but the Yankees wasted no time - and seemingly no energy
- in pulling away.
Abreu drove a 2-1 pitch from Sarfate off the foul pole in right with
Johnny Damon
aboard to make it 5-2 in the third. New York added four more in the sixth, getting run-scoring hits from
Jason Giambi
and Nady. Erratic reliever
Fernando Cabrera
also issued a bases-loaded walk to Damon and threw a wild pitch to Jeter, handing the Yankees a 9-2 cushion.
Abreu added a solo shot in the seventh for his 12th career multihomer game and first as a member of the Yankees, and Rodriguez
followed with a homer to right.
Juan Castro
hit a pinch-hit homer in the eighth for Baltimore, his first of the year.
The teams became testy in the seventh when Yankees reliever
Edwar Ramirez
threw his first pitch over the head of
Kevin Millar
. Evidently thinking the pitch was in response to A-Rod getting plunked Tuesday night, plate umpire Mark Wegner immediately
ejected Ramirez.
Orioles reliever
Alberto Castillo
hit Molina in the eighth but the pitcher remained in the game without so much as a warning, drawing a hearty round of boos
from the crowd.
''He intentionally threw it behind his head,'' Wegner said of Ramirez. ''It was a done deal.''
Notes: Orioles LF
Luke Scott
fouled a pitch off his shin in the second but stayed in the game. ... Baltimore is 7-5 on the year against the Yankees after
having not won a season series against them since 1997. The teams play six more times this season.
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