Right-hander Daniel Cabrera was dominant Tuesday. For once, it looked as if the inconsistent flame-thrower had his command and his composure.
Then, after hitting Alex Rodriguez with an eighth-inning pitch, the Orioles starter was ejected. Cabrera served up a home run to Rodriguez in the sixth, and he plunked the reigning American League MVP in his next at-bat, drawing a swift ejection by home plate umpire Chad Fairchild, who explained to Orioles manager Dave Trembley that the prior home run came into play with his decision-making.
"I thought that was a real key moment of the game that woke them up and got 54,000 fans back in the game," Trembley said. "We can agree to disagree."
Rodriguez has four home runs and is 13-for-34 (.382) against Cabrera.
"I wouldn't say we're friends," Cabrera said, "but he knows I wasn't trying to hit him."
The Orioles starter gave Trembley seven-plus strong innings, and he was cruising with a shutout into the sixth before Rodriguez's home run to center field.
ORIOLES 7, YANKEES 6: The Yankees scored three times off closer George Sherrill in the ninth, but the Orioles left-hander struck out three to finish it. Aubrey Huff and Kevin Millar each homered for the second consecutive night, and Daniel Cabrera's ejection-shortened outing was enough to quiet the Yankees bats.
