NEW YORK - Kris Benson and Kevin Millar, coming off stints with the Yankees' biggest rivals, boosted Baltimore to a win in their first New York appearances with the Orioles.
Benson pitched just well enough to escape trouble and Millar hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the sixth inning in Baltimore's 6-5 victory Friday night.
Dealt by the Mets to Baltimore during the offseason, perhaps because of attention-grabbing wife Anna, Benson (2-2) never retired the side in order. He allowed four runs - three earned - and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings, and rookie reliever Sandy Rleal got out of a two-on jam he inherited in the sixth.
Chris Ray loaded the bases in the ninth before getting his sixth save in six chances.
Ray walked Derek Jeter with one out and Gary Sheffield singled. Alex Rodriguez then struck out, drawing loud boos. After the runners moved up on defensive indifference, Jason Giambi loaded the bases with a walk. But Hideki Matsui took a 3-2 pitch for strike three to end it.
Millar spent the previous three seasons with Boston, helping the Red Sox beat the Yankees in 2004 en route to their first World Series title since 1918. He was booed loudly each time he came to the plate, and got a pair of big hits for the Orioles.
After doubling and scoring to spark a three-run third against Chien-Ming Wang (1-1), Millar got the key hit of the game.
With the Orioles trailing 4-3, Baltimore loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth on consecutive singles by Miguel Tejada, Jay Gibbons and Ramon Hernandez.
Javy Lopez hit a comebacker that Wang turned into a forceout at the plate - with a low throw that Jorge Posada scooped - and Millar blooped an 0-1 pitch into right field.
Wang gave up six runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings. Baltimore made it 6-4 when Scott Proctor walked rookie Nick Markakis with the bases loaded.
Matsui and Posada singled with two outs in the sixth, and Rleal relieved. Robinson Cano fouled out on his first pitch, pinch-hitter Bernie Williams walked to load the bases and Rleal retired Johnny Damon on a groundout.
Consecutive doubles by Matsui and Posada off LaTroy Hawkins pulled the Yankees within a run in the eighth.
Even before the first pitch, it was a night for compelling story lines.
Baltimore was playing its first game against the Yankees since its former manager, Lee Mazzilli, returned to New York as a bench coach.
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time since he dislocated his left elbow last Sept. 20 in a nasty collision at first base with Bubba Crosby. In addition to Benson, it marked a return to New York for Orioles vice president Jim Duquette, the Mets' former general manager.
Sheffield's single following Jeter's triple high off the right-center fence put the Yankees ahead in the first, but Baltimore took a 3-1 lead in the third. Melvin Mora had a two-run infield single to shortstop as Jeter rushed a high throw to first, and Tejada followed with an RBI single.
Cano's two-run homer a few feet to the left of the right-field pole tied the score in the fourth, and Rodriguez hit an RBI single for a 4-3 lead in the fifth.
Notes: Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard returned after missing opening day for the first time since 1950. Sheppard injured a hip the night before the opener. ... A moment of silence was observed before the game in memory of Gulf Coast Yankees manager Oscar Acosta and Humberto Trejo, field coordinator the Dominican Summer League Yankees. They were killed in a car crash Wednesday.
Dealt by the Mets to Baltimore during the offseason, perhaps because of attention-grabbing wife Anna, Benson (2-2) never retired the side in order. He allowed four runs - three earned - and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings, and rookie reliever Sandy Rleal got out of a two-on jam he inherited in the sixth.
Chris Ray loaded the bases in the ninth before getting his sixth save in six chances.
Ray walked Derek Jeter with one out and Gary Sheffield singled. Alex Rodriguez then struck out, drawing loud boos. After the runners moved up on defensive indifference, Jason Giambi loaded the bases with a walk. But Hideki Matsui took a 3-2 pitch for strike three to end it.
Millar spent the previous three seasons with Boston, helping the Red Sox beat the Yankees in 2004 en route to their first World Series title since 1918. He was booed loudly each time he came to the plate, and got a pair of big hits for the Orioles.
After doubling and scoring to spark a three-run third against Chien-Ming Wang (1-1), Millar got the key hit of the game.
With the Orioles trailing 4-3, Baltimore loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth on consecutive singles by Miguel Tejada, Jay Gibbons and Ramon Hernandez.
Javy Lopez hit a comebacker that Wang turned into a forceout at the plate - with a low throw that Jorge Posada scooped - and Millar blooped an 0-1 pitch into right field.
Wang gave up six runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings. Baltimore made it 6-4 when Scott Proctor walked rookie Nick Markakis with the bases loaded.
Matsui and Posada singled with two outs in the sixth, and Rleal relieved. Robinson Cano fouled out on his first pitch, pinch-hitter Bernie Williams walked to load the bases and Rleal retired Johnny Damon on a groundout.
Consecutive doubles by Matsui and Posada off LaTroy Hawkins pulled the Yankees within a run in the eighth.
Even before the first pitch, it was a night for compelling story lines.
Baltimore was playing its first game against the Yankees since its former manager, Lee Mazzilli, returned to New York as a bench coach.
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time since he dislocated his left elbow last Sept. 20 in a nasty collision at first base with Bubba Crosby. In addition to Benson, it marked a return to New York for Orioles vice president Jim Duquette, the Mets' former general manager.
Sheffield's single following Jeter's triple high off the right-center fence put the Yankees ahead in the first, but Baltimore took a 3-1 lead in the third. Melvin Mora had a two-run infield single to shortstop as Jeter rushed a high throw to first, and Tejada followed with an RBI single.
Cano's two-run homer a few feet to the left of the right-field pole tied the score in the fourth, and Rodriguez hit an RBI single for a 4-3 lead in the fifth.
Notes: Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard returned after missing opening day for the first time since 1950. Sheppard injured a hip the night before the opener. ... A moment of silence was observed before the game in memory of Gulf Coast Yankees manager Oscar Acosta and Humberto Trejo, field coordinator the Dominican Summer League Yankees. They were killed in a car crash Wednesday.
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