Yankees 3, Orioles 2
NEW YORK -- Second baseman Brendan Ryan hit a tie-breaking double with two out in the bottom of the sixth inning and the New York Yankees opened a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles with a 3-2 victory on Tuesday.
In his 16th at-bat of an injury-plagued season, Ryan snapped a 2-2 deadlock by hitting a 0-1 fastball from Baltimore left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (4-6) down the left-field line. Left fielder Travis Snider was slow retrieving it and shortstop Didi Gregorius scored ahead of the relay throw.
Ryan's fifth hit of the year came shortly after the Yankees squandered a two-run lead with two outs in the top of the sixth.
Before Ryan's hit, the Yankees scored their first runs on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Alex Rodriguez in the first inning and a double by third baseman Chase Headley in the second.
Baltimore nearly scored its first runs in the fifth but second baseman Jonathan Schoop hit long foul balls on consecutive pitches. His drive down the left-field line sailed foul and a potential double to left stayed inches foul.
An inning later, the Orioles finally broke through getting consecutive two-out RBI singles by catcher Matt Wieters and shortstop J.J. Hardy. Those hits came after center fielder Adam Jones reached on his second infield hit of the game.
But the inning ended when Hardy was thrown out at second trying to stretch his single into a double.
New York right-hander Nathan Eovaldi allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings but needed 99 pitches. He held the Orioles hitless until the fourth but exited after allowing Wieters' single.
Left-hander Justin Wilson (3-0) was awarded the win when Ryan doubled. Dellin Betances struck out Manny Machado for the final out of the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth.
Andrew Miller tossed a hitless ninth for his 21st save in as many opportunities.
Chen allowed three runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings as the Orioles lost for the 12th time in 17 games.
Eovaldi opened the game by walking third baseman Manny Machado. Machado was then initially ruled safe by first base umpire Tim Welke on a pickoff play but the call was overturned after the Yankees challenged.
The Orioles got their first hit with two outs in the third when Jones hit a slow grounder that Gregorius did not get to for an infield single.
The Yankees quickly took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury doubled, was sacrificed to third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez.
Following a 15-minute rain delay the Yankees opened the second with three straight hits and took a 2-0 lead on a double to left by Headley.
NOTES: New York OF Carlos Beltran had the night off from the starting lineup after returning from an oblique injury, but manager Joe Girardi said he was not starting a platoon with Beltran and OF Chris Young. ... RHP Kevin Gausman is on Baltimore's taxi squad in advance of his start Wednesday, when he will be added to the active roster. Gausman last started on Friday for Triple-A Norfolk and said he was pleased with the outing because he did not issue any walks. ... New York OF Brett Gardner was warned by the Yankees and Major League Baseball not to wear the white cleats that he used Sunday. "I won't be wearing them," he said. "That was a one-time thing. I definitely got some warnings about that."