Baltimore – Alex Rodriguez’s eyes darted to the television screen as reporters gathered around his locker in the New York Yankees’ clubhouse.
Instead of fielding a question, he asked one.
“What inning is it?” he inquired.
Moments after the Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 on Wednesday night, Rodriguez and his teammates rushed off the field to find out if the victory thrust New York into sole possession of first place in the AL East, one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox.
After Manny Ramirez made the final out for the Red Sox in a 7-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, there was no commotion in the New York clubhouse.
Just a feeling of satisfaction that will last at least until tonight’s game against Baltimore.
“It doesn’t mean anything unless you come in and play well tomorrow,” Rodriguez said. “It’s obviously better to have a one-game lead than a tie, but we still have to come out here and play an important game tomorrow night.”
Rodriguez hit a milestone homer, Derek Jeter singled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning, and the Yankees used a fine performance by former Rockies ace Shawn Chacon to beat Baltimore.
Boston and New York meet in a three-game series beginning Friday night. The Yankees’ victory Wednesday means New York will need no more than two wins at Fenway Park to capture the division crown.
“There’s no comfort. We know what the Boston Red Sox are all about. We saw what they did last year. That’s very clear in our minds,” Rodriguez said, referring to Boston’s comeback against New York in the ALCS last October.
One night after the Yankees and Orioles combined for 26 runs and 26 hits, the teams locked up in a tense pitching duel that turned in New York’s favor in the latter innings.
First, Rodriguez hit his 47th homer off Daniel Cabrera (10-13) to tie it at 1 in the sixth. The shot broke Joe DiMaggio’s single-season club record for home runs by a right-handed batter, set in 1937.
New York went up 2-1 in the seventh. After Jorge Posada hit a leadoff single and Cabrera hit Bernie Williams with a pitch, Robinson Cano moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt against Tim Byrdak. Jeter then hit an opposite-field single to right off Todd Williams.
Chacon (7-3) allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Tom Gordon held the lead for Mariano Rivera, who got three quick outs for his 43rd save.
