masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgA 2-2 tie turned into a 5-2 Orioles loss tonight at New York. Within a few minutes of one another, Adam Jones dropped a fly ball that cost the team three runs and the O’s hit into a triple play to end a promising rally.

The Yankees took advantage of the three unearned runs in the last of the seventh to pick up a three-run win in game one of this weekend series. It’s New York’s fourth straight win to get 5-4 and the O’s fall to 5-5.

The New York seventh began when Miguel Gonzalez walked…A 2-2 tie turned into a 5-2 Orioles loss tonight at New York. Within a few minutes of one another, Adam Jones dropped a fly ball that cost the team three runs and the O’s hit into a triple play to end a promising rally.

The Yankees took advantage of the three unearned runs in the last of the seventh to pick up a three-run win in game one of this weekend series. It’s New York’s fourth straight win to get 5-4 and the O’s fall to 5-5.

The New York seventh began when Miguel Gonzalez walked Francisco Cervelli and then was pulled for Troy Patton. With two outs and Cervilli on third, Kevin Youkilis was walked intentionally. Then Patton hit Travis Hafner to load the bases and Buck Showalter called for Pedro Strop.

Vernon Wells hit a fly ball to deep center that should have been the third out with the game remaining tied, but Jones raced back and dropped the ball as three runners came in to score. He just squeezed the glove too soon and it was a huge error that plated three unearned runs for a 5-2 lead.

To make matters worse, the Orioles hit into a triple play moments later with two on to end the eighth. Manny Machado hit a one-hop liner to second and Alexi Casilla, who was on second base, held up to make sure the ball wasn’t caught and it all started a 4-6-5-6-5-3-4 triple play with Machado cut down trying to advance to second for the final out.

Gonzalez was tagged with the loss after allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) over six-plus innings. CC Sabathia got the win, allowing eight hits and two runs (one earned) with no walks and eight strikeouts over eight innings. Mariano Rivera got the save, the 74th in his career against the Orioles.

Machado had an RBI single for the O’s in the third and a J.J. Hardy RBI single in the seventh tied the game at 2-2, setting the stage for the misfortune that was to come for the Orioles.

The Orioles, who went 6-3 at New York in 2012, fall to 2-2 on this road trip and 4-3 against the AL East.

In game two of the series Saturday afternoon at 4:05, Jason Hammel (1-1, 4.97 ERA) pitches against the Yankees’ Phil Hughes (0-1, 6.75 ERA).