Davis Hits Majors-Leading 41st HR In 9th, Orioles Edge Yanks
NEW YORK (AP) -- Chris Davis led off the ninth inning with his major league-leading 41st home run and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 2-1 Tuesday night for just their fourth win in 19 games.
The Yankees began the day a half-game behind AL East-leading Toronto. They failed to take advantage of Masahiro Tanaka's 10-strikeout performance and Alex Rodriguez's 30th homer -- A-Rod has reached the mark in 15 seasons, tying Hank Aaron's record.
Davis homered for the sixth time in seven games, lofting an opposite-field drive into the seats in left. He was the first batter Chasen Shreve (6-2) faced after Tanaka pitched eight innings.
Davis, like Rodriguez, is enjoying a resurgent season. The Orioles' slugger led the majors with 53 home runs in 2013, but hit just 26 last year and drew a drug suspension down the stretch.
Darren O'Day (6-2) got two outs for the win. Zach Britton closed for his 31st save in 34 chances.
The Orioles won while star outfielder Adam Jones sat out with a sore shoulder. New York lost for the third time in 11 games.
Rodriguez hit his 684th career homer leading off the sixth, making it 1-all and chasing Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman.
The 40-year-old Rodriguez hadn't hit the 30-homer mark since 2010. He didn't play last year while serving a season-long drug suspension.
The homer was A-Rod's fourth in five games and boosted his career hit total to 3,056, moving him past Rickey Henderson for 22nd place.
Gausman did get even with Yankees rookie Greg Bird, twice striking him out. Bird was Gausman's catcher in high school in Aurora, Colorado -- the last time they faced each other, Bird homered in an intrasquad game.
Tanaka had given up just one scratch single before Ryan Flaherty led off the Orioles sixth by lining a home run. After a two-out single, Davis hustled for an infield hit, only to be called out on a replay review.
Third baseman Brendan Ryan cut off a potential Baltimore burst in the seventh, diving to his left to begin a nifty double play.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (9-11, 4.85 ERA) is doing well in his recovery from shoulder tendinitis, manager Buck Showalter said. Showalter said it would be good for Gonzalez and the team to have him pitch again this season.
Yankees: OF Brett Gardner got a shot in his jammed shoulder. He hurt himself running into a wall over the weekend and hasn't started the last two games.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez (10-9, 4.24 ERA) tries for his 99th career win. Yankees OF Jacoby Ellsbury is 7 for 11 with two walks against the right-hander.
Yankees: CC Sabathia (4-9, 5.27) is set to come off the disabled list and start Wednesday night. He's been out with inflammation in his right knee. The big lefty is 18-7 lifetime vs. the O's.
(Copyright 2015 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
