Yanks Go Yard Recap: New York Yankees Piece Together The Win Without Gardner

Sep 12, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Yankees first baseman

(39) hits a two-run home run in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. This was Mark Reynolds 200th career home run. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees have shown a ton of fight and grit all season long, and tonight was one of those nights. Joe Girardi used the expanded September rosters to his advantage, they pieced together the win even after losing Brett Gardner and the lead, beating the Baltimore Orioles 6-5. Gardner left after striking out in his first at-bat with a strained oblique. How long he is out for is unknown.

The Yankees took a quick second inning lead off Wei-Yin Chen. Eduardo Nunez led off the frame with a single and Mark Reynolds followed by blasting his 19th homer of the year and 200th of his career. The Yankees would add two more in the third when walks to Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano sandwiched an Alfonso Soriano double. Vernon Wells single drove in the runs.

The Orioles got to Phil Hughes in the bottom half of the frame. Matt Wieters singled and went to second on a wild pitch. Manny Machado would drive him home with a single. David Huff would come in and get the Yankees out of the fourth and continued for three more innings. Curtis Granderson would hit his sixth homer of the year in the seventh to make it 5-1.  Nick Markakis would hit his 10th homer of the year in the seventh to make it 5-2.

Then the eighth inning came and David Robertson entered. Machado led off the frame by being robbed of a homer by Soriano in left, something that would come very much into play. After a strikeout, Adam Jones and Markakis singled. Danny Valencia came up and hit his eighth homer of the year to tie it.

Jim Johnson was so automatic last year for the Orioles but this year has been a different story and that narrative continued tonight. Brendan Ryan led off with a single. Chris Stewart hit a comebacker and Johnson errantly threw to second. Granderson bunted them over, and Johnson’s wild pitch would give the Yankees the win.

YGY Player Of The Game: Soriano

The Yanks head to Fenway looking for revenge from last weekend. Hiroki Kuroda will take on John Lackey at 7:10.

Notes: The Trenton Thunder won their third Eastern League championship. Ivan Nova is good to start Saturday after injuring his forearm.