Yankees 11, Orioles 10
NEW YORK (AP) -- Brian Matusz's immediate future doesn't appear to be particularly rosy.
The Baltimore Orioles pitcher lasted just 1 1/3 innings and 46 pitches against the New York Yankees on Thursday, allowing five runs, five hits and two walks. His ERA swelled to 9.84.
But it was the first time in half a season he didn't lose. While the Yankees won 11-10, New York didn't take the lead for good until the fifth.
"I'm doing the bullpen every day and doing all the things I need to do," Matusz said. "There's no putting excuses on it."
Coming into Monday, the 24-year-old left-hander had lost seven straight starts since beating Oakland on June 6. Just 1-7 in 10 starts this year, and with an 11.42 ERA since his Aug. 16 recall from the minors, he may have pitched himself out of the rotation.
"Just like always, we'll talk to him about different stuff," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We'll talk tomorrow, when emotions settle a little bit."
Baltimore led 1-0 in the first before the Yankees scored twice in the bottom half, when Mark Teixeira hit a solo homer. While the Orioles took a 5-2 lead in the second, Curtis Granderson's two-run double chased Matusz. Robinson Cano then hit a grand slam off Chris Jakubauskas to put New York ahead 8-5, Cano's third slam in less than a month.
"This game will speed up on anyone if you don't bear down and take control of the game," Matusz said. "And a team like the Yankees will jump on you when you're down."
He wouldn't speculate on whether he'll get another start.
"That's not my decision. I'm going to take the ball when Buck gives it to me," he said. "I'm going to keep fighting, keep working hard."
Mark Reynolds' two-run homer against Freddy Garcia in the third and Robert Andino's solo shot off Scott Proctor in the fifth tied it at 8.
Jesus Montero, a 21-year-old who made his major league debut last week, led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run off Jim Johnson (5-5), then hit a two-run drive against Johnson for an 11-8 lead in the seventh.
Nick Markakis singled in a run in the eighth and took second when the ball skipped from Yankees right fielder Chris Dickerson for an error. When the throw bounced away from second, Markakis was thrown out by Derek Jeter while trying for third. Showalter argued with third base umpire Bruce Dreckman to no avail.
What did Showalter plan to say to Markakis?
"I say to him he was safe," the manager responded.
Still, the Orioles had a chance in the ninth.
Ryan Adams hit a two-out RBI single off Mariano Rivera, Nolan Reimold was hit by a pitch and Baltimore had a double steal. Rivera then struck out J.J. Hardy on a 2-2 pitch for his 38th save.
"He threw a cutter away," Hardy said. "I think it was off the plate a little bit but still got me chasing."
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)