This had the makings of another annoyingly frustrating game for the Yankees even though it seemed like it could possibly be a cakewalk at first – something the Yankees haven’t had in a while.

After three full innings of scoreless baseball by both starters Wei-Yin Chin and Phil Hughes, the Yankees struck first in the top of the fourth. Russell Martin provided the first blow – a three-run home run – and Steve Pearce provided the second – his own two-run home run. The Yankees were up 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Hughes answered with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth. Yes, folks, the New York Yankees scored a bunch of runs and their starting pitcher didn’t surrender any of his own in the following half inning. Amazing. (Of course the bliss wouldn’t last but we’ll get to that later.)

In the top of the fifth, that guy Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run home run to put the Yankees up 7-0. Hughes, again, answered with a scoreless bottom of the fifth.

I jokingly predicted last night that Hughes would hold the Orioles homer-less tonight. I should have amended it and said, “…in the first five innings.”

After the Yankees were held scoreless in the top of the sixth, Adam Jones put the Orioles on the board with – you guessed it – a three-run home run to cut the Yankees lead to 7-3.

Cody Eppley replaced Hughes in the seventh inning and gave up a solo shot to Robert Andino to bring the Orioles even closer, 7-4. Joe Girardi replaced Eppley with Boone Logan who induced a ground out from Nick Markakis and got J. J. Hardy to fly out to left. No further damage was done.

The eighth inning was uneventful for both teams unless you count the fact that David Robertson came out without his signature high socks. Oh and that he threw some curveballs to make Adam Jones look completely silly during a three-pitch strikeout. He also got Matt Wieters to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Yankees scored an insurance run in the ninth inning thanks to a single by Derek Jeter and a bit of a miscue by Robert Andino that allowed Ichiro Suzuki to score.

Rafael Soriano came in to pitch the ninth and got Mark Reynolds to strike out. The Yankee killer finished the night 0-4. Chris Davis was up next and flied out to left. Manny Machado decided he wanted to join the home run party and hit a laser out to left to make it 8-5.

Soriano regrouped and got Andino to strike out on three pitches to end the game.

Alas, a cakewalk was not meant to be tonight but at least the Yankees were still able to prevent Baltimore from taking sole possession of first place in the AL East.

Some notes:

• Tonight’s victory was Phil Hughes’s 50th of his career.
• Hughes has now given up 33 home runs this season.
• A-Rod’s home run was his 300th as a Yankee.
• From ELIAS: Rodriguez is the 6th player to hit 300 home runs for the Yankees. The Yankees have more 300-HR players than any other team – both the Braves and Red Sox have five each.

(Syndicated from The Yankee Analysts)