Ubaldo Jimenez hit hard early, Orioles lose to Yankees 9

The team is 4-1 while aiming to get a sweep against Baltimore. That’s exactly what the Yankees did tonight. Chris Capuano and Branden Pinder combined to cover the last 1 1/3 innings and secure the Yankees the win.

How Tanaka pitches will go a long way toward deciding if the Yankees will maintain their lead in the AL East. In his own mind, Tanaka believes he will notice the magnitude more later in the year.

The Yankee offense struck early.

The Royals went on to put runners on second and third with no outs, but Rosenthal held on for his 30th save in 32 chances.

Girardi sat catcher Brian McCann for the series finale, giving Murphy a spot start. Headley would clear the bases with a double off the wall. 2-0 Yankees. They were 41-34 through June 28 and tied for first but left New York seven games out of first place and in fourth. Well, that didn’t happen. Chen did well to keep it there, striking out Didi Gregorius, retiring Ryan on a pop-out and Ellsbury on a groundout. That’s no bueno against a division rival (or any other team, really) that could make a comeback later in the game.

The worst-hitting team in the majors was all but helpless against the three-time Cy Young Award victor.

Alex Rodriguez says New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is “the MVP of the league on both sides of the ball”. The ball bounced several feet away and … went over the fence! Much of it was focused on today’s starter, Masahiro Tanaka, who has had three straight quality starts (at least six innings pitched while allowing three runs or less). The O’s caught a big break here. Ross allowed four runs – three earned – and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts. Greg Holland survived a shaky ninth, allowing a run on four hits and a walk, but struck out Gregory Polanco with the bases loaded for his 21st save in 24 opportunities. I only had to manage six innings. Headley led off the inning with a single. So that’s that. They are also 28-17 in home games. Rodriguez’s run gave New York a 3-0 lead.

For the first four innings, Eovaldi was absolutely dealing.

Rodriguez did his best to avoid making contact with Wieters while at the same time making his way to the plate.

That kept the inning alive for Ellsbury’s two-out two-run double to left off reliever Bud Norris.

Chasen Shreve pitched a hitless seventh and Dellin Betances fanned two in a hitless eighth. And it’s doubtful he could now command a player who might move the Orioles’ needle.

Tanaka said his problems in the eighth inning were neither a product of fatigue nor faulty pitch selection in a one-sided game, but rather a pitcher’s favored fallback position: Location, location, location.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman delivers against the New… Mercifully for the Yankees, Schoop grounded into a force out to Headley.

Nasty Nate wasn’t as lucky in the sixth.

Jimmy Paredes doubled with one out in the sixth. J.J. Asked about his error being changed to a hit, New York LF Brett Gardner said, “It’s irrelevant, I could care less”. I’m figuring we’ll see some combination of Justin Wilson, Adam Warren and Chasen Shreve late in this one.