masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgA few early observations as the Orioles lead the Yankees 2-0 in the 4th tonight. Jake Arrieta needed just 33 pitches to get the first nine outs.

*Nick Markakis picked a good time for his second home run. His two-run shot gives the O’s a 2-0 lead at New York as they look to break a 3-game losing streak.

Markakis’ blast to right snapped a 2-for-23 drought for the O’s right fielder. He turned on a Phil Hughes fastball. Hughes had jammed several hitters early on with his fastball, but that one…A few early observations as the Orioles lead the Yankees 2-0 in the 4th tonight. Jake Arrieta needed just 33 pitches to get the first nine outs.

*Nick Markakis picked a good time for his second home run. His two-run shot gives the O’s a 2-0 lead at New York as they look to break a 3-game losing streak.

Markakis’ blast to right snapped a 2-for-23 drought for the O’s right fielder. He turned on a Phil Hughes fastball. Hughes had jammed several hitters early on with his fastball, but that one found too much of the plate and Markakis knew what to do with it.

*Derrek Lee saved another throwing error by an infielder when Brett Gardner hit a grounder to short to lead off the last of the first. Cesar Izturis took that little hop and it almost cost him with the speedy Gardner hustling down the line.

The throw bounced and Lee played it cleanly and again made it look easy. Early on, it’s easy to figure out why he earned Gold Gloves in the NL in 2003, 2005 and 2007. That has to give the infielders confidence to cut the ball loose with him over there.

*Vlad Guerrero singled in the second inning and now has a seven-game batting streak. He is 10-for-26, for an average of .385 during the streak.

Now the O’s need to see Vlad and Lee produce some power. They had a combined 5 RBI coming into this game, or five fewer than Brian Roberts. Entering tonight, Vlad did not have an RBI over the last four games and Lee had gone five games with a RBI.

Update: The O’s pulled even further ahead on a Mark Reynolds sac fly and a Markakis RBI double. Guerrero added an RBI single in the fifth to bring the O’s lead to 5-0 over the Yankees.