MLB

Yankees bats fall silent as Orioles tie ALDS at one game apiece

BALTIMORE — Prior to the start of the postseason Russell Martin stated pitchers were at a competitive disadvantage working against the Yankees.

“I feel bad for whoever we face,” Martin said. “We have no holes in our lineup.”

Monday night that crew showed up at Camden Yards looking like the world’s most expensive piece of Swiss cheese.

One night after spanking stud closer Jim Johnson for five runs in the ninth inning the Yankees were handcuffed by lefty Wei-Yin Chen on the way to a Game 2 ALDS 3-2 loss in front of 48,187 chilled and stirred Camden Yards customers.

For the second straight night the game was delayed at the start because somebody wrongly believed a rain so light the tarp was never rolled out was serious enough to wait 40 minutes for the first pitch which Chen threw with the temperature at 51 degrees.

Andy Pettitte certainly did enough to deserve more than a loss. In seven-plus innings the all-time leader in post-season wins (19) allowed three runs and seven hits.

The best-of-five series shifts to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night tied, 1-1. Hiroki Kuroda draws Miguel Gonzalez. The next three games are slated for The Bronx.

So after spending the final month of the season in each other’s hair the Yankees and Orioles are continuing their year-long competition to the end.

Chen’s first taste of the postseason lasted 6 1/3 innings in which he gave up two runs (one earned) and eight hits. He walked one and struck out three.

Darren O’Day and Brian Matusz worked the final out of the seventh and all three in the eighth, respectively, before Johnson redeemed himself by recording the final three outs for the save.

David Robertson replaced Pettitte after Chris Davis started the eighth with a single to center and didn’t allow the O’s to pad the lead.

Eduardo Nunez opened the seventh with a blooper to right that he hustled into a double. Chen got ahead, 0-2, on Derek Jeter and Jeter dumped a single into left that scored Nunez and cut the deficit to 3-2.

Ichiro Suzuki forced Jeter with a ground out. Before Alex Rodriguez could face the left-handed Chen, Buck Showalter called for side-arming right-hander O’Day and for the second straight night O’Day fanned Rodriguez in a key spot.

Ichiro swiped second on the 78-mph slider that Rodriguez whiffed on. Interestingly, Showalter summoned the left-handed Matusz to face Robinson Cano and ordered Matusz to walk Cano intentionally.

That brought up switch-hitter Nick Swisher and Matsuz’ first pitch was wild and advanced the runners to second and third. With the count full Swisher lofted a stress-free fly to left and stranded two.