BALTIMORE // The Baltimore Orioles hit the New York Yankees' prized acquisition CC Sabathia for six runs in four-plus innings in a 10-5 victory in the season-opener for both teams. A four-run eighth inning assured the Orioles of the win after the Yankees reduced a 6-1 deficit to 6-5 in the seventh. "That's a nice day for everybody," the Orioles manager Dave Trembley said.
Sabathia, who the Yankees signed for $161million (Dh591m) in a seven-year deal, gave up three runs in the third inning and three more in the fifth before being lifted with New York trailing 6-1. The former Cleveland and Milwaukee pitcher yielded eight hits and walked five while striking out none in his first Yankees game. "I had runners on all day and I was battling, just trying to get out of innings," Sabathia said. "It was just one of those days, a bad day."
The Orioles broke the game open in the eighth on Cesar Izturis's two-run homer and Aubrey Huff's two-run double. Jeremy Guthrie, the Starting Baltimore pitcher, claimed the win, giving up seven hits and three runs over six innings. Elsewhere, the Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee allowed seven runs and 10 hits in five innings, including Hank Blalock's three-run homer, in the Cleveland Indians' 9-1 loss to the Texas Rangers.
Daniel Murphy drove in both New York runs with a homer and a ground-out in his first big league opener, and the Mets' rebuilt bullpen made it hold up for a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. * Agencies
