Game 5 Recap: Yankees 5, Orioles 4

It looked for some time on Tuesday like the Yankees would have to wait another day for a chance to pick up their first series win of the season. But a late rally off , and a strong performance from in relief, led to an extra innings Yankee victory and a 2-3 record on the young season.

Chen, 26, making his first start as a Major Leaguer, was impressive but for two innings. ‘s leadoff home run in the first inning looked like a omen of things to come after followed it up with a double. But the Yankees let Chen off the hook and he cruised for the next four innings. In the sixth the wheels came off. After a near-two run homer off the bat of the Yankees loaded the bases for , who drove in the second run of the game with a sac-fly. reached base on an error, scoring , and tied the game with an RBI single. All told, Chen went 5.1 innings, struck out six and walked one, allowing four runs (two earned).

, who backed into the fifth spot in the Bomber’s rotation after landed on the disabled list two weeks ago, got the start in Baltimore and struggled. In 4.2 innings he allowed four runs – three earned – walking as many as he struck out (three) and throwing five wild pitches, the most in a  Major League game since the 80s. He left the game down 4-1, but was bailed out by a rally and by the pitching of David Phelps, who went 2.1 perfect innings striking out four straight batters in the sixth and seventh innings.

Offensively, it was a mixed performance all around. Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner continued their hot hitting and had a nice night, going 3-6 and scoring a couple of run. But Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira continued to struggle, going 1-10 and stranding six base runners.  Andruw Jones got the start at the DH spot, his third of the season, but was hitless before being replaced by . In your coaching controversy of the day, Bobby Thompson sent Nick Swisher around third to try to score from first on a groundball down the left field line in the seventh with the score tied. Swisher was thrown out for the first out of the inning and the Yankees failed to score a run, keeping in place a tie that eventually forced extra innings.

The Yankees almost lost it in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Orioles loaded the bases with two outs and on the mound. Wade got JJ Hardy to pop up and sent the game into the 10th. Wade struck out the side in the 10th, pitched a scoreless 11th, and in the top of the 12th the Yankees took a 5-4 lead on a Raul Ibanez double. came in to shut the door and give the Yankees, and Rapada, a victory.