BALTIMORE, June 25 (UPI) -- Jerry Hairston knocked in the go-ahead run with a bunt single on a squeeze play in the seventh inning and rookie Jorge Julio worked out of a jam in the ninth as the Baltimore Orioles edged the New York Yankees, 4-3, Tuesday night.
The Orioles had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh when Manager Mike Hargrove called for a squeeze bunt. As rookie Brian Roberts charged home, Hairston pushed the ball toward first.
Roberts scored easily and Hairston reached when second baseman Alfonso Soriano failed to cover the bag after first baseman Nick Johnson fielded the ball. The hit was one of 12 for Baltimore -- all singles.
Soriano stole second with one out in the ninth, but Julio got
Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi to ground out for his 16th save.
Willis Roberts (4-2) fired 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the win.
Marty Cordova went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Gary Matthews Jr.
drove in a run for the scrappy Orioles, who have won three
straight games for the first time in nearly two months.
Baltimore also has taken three of the last four against New York after losing four of the first six in the season series. The Yankees have the best record in baseball and lead the American League East. The Orioles are 10 games back.
Starting for the third time since an extended stint on the
disabled list, Andy Pettitte (1-2) took the loss. He allowed
four runs and 11 hits in a season-high 6 1/3 innings.
Soriano and Jeter homered for the Yankees, who increased their major league-leading total to 118.
