Andrew Vitelli, The Examiner
2008-04-21 07:00:00.0
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BALTIMORE -

After pounding the Yankees’ two young guns, the Orioles finally met their match in an old foe.

The Baltimore bats that produced 14 runs the past two games were rendered futile by Yankees starter Andy Pettitte, who held the Orioles scoreless for seven innings. The Orioles failed to complete a three-game sweep of New York, falling 7-1 on a soggy Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

It was a bitter ending, but Orioles manager Dave Trembley was pleased with the way his team played during the series.

“[It was] a good series for us,” he said. “We got some big hits from a lot of guys in the lineup. Our starting pitchers got us deep in the games all three times.”

Even in the loss, there were plenty of positives. Orioles starter Steve Trachsel bounced back from his worst start of the season, allowing three runs over 6 1/3 innings. Adam Jones made two great catches in center, including a diving grab of  Derek Jeter’s line drive that drew a loud applause from the crowd of 37,501.

“He looked like Willie Mays today,” Trembley said of Jones.

Baltimore just couldn’t solve Pettitte. The Orioles didn’t get their first base runner until Jay Payton reached on an infielder single to third with two outs in the fifth inning.

“Pettitte threw a great game today,” first baseman Kevin Millar said. “When he has both sides of the plate covered, he’s tough.”

The Orioles had been clicking during their three-game winning streak against the White Sox and Yankees. Baltimore knocked Yankees starter Ian Kennedy out of the game by the third inning on Saturday after knocking Phil Hughes around on Friday. 

Baltimore had a chance to break through against the Yankees’ bullpen in the eighth, when they got runners on the corners with no one out before the skies opened and play was paused for the first of two 37-minute rain delays.

When the game resumed, Brian Roberts hit a sacrifice fly to drive in a run, but Yankees reliever Brian Bruney got Melvin Mora and Millar to pop out to second to end the threat.

The Orioles’ bullpen, which had the second best earned-run average in the American League entering the game, bombed against the Bronx Bombers on Sunday. Chad Bradford, who allows home runs about as often as Camden Yards sells out, was taken deep for a two-run shot by Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. In the ninth, Derek Jeter delivered the knockout blow with a three-run double off closer George Sherrill.

When the game ended, the stands were nearly empty. But the fans who did stick it out should hope the Orioles’ bats return when the team heads to Seattle to begin a seven-game road trip.

avitelli@baltimoreexaminer.com