‘98 Yanks and ‘70 O’s split

8/21 - Yankee Stadium
'98-Yanks 3, '70-Orioles 2
Mike Cuellar (0-2, 3.60) vs David Wells (2-0, 2.92)
Boomer outdueled Cuellar in this battle of veteran southpaws.  Baltimore took a 2-0 lead into the 6th when the Bombers erupted for 3 runs.  Tino Martinez led off with a double and scored on a 1 out single by Chuck Knoblauch.  With 2 outs the ever so clutch Scott Brosius hit a homer off the foul pole in right field that almost sliced foul.  Mo (Mariano Rivera) came in to get a rare 5 out save to lock it down for NY.

8/22 - Yankee Stadium
Jim Palmer (2-0, 2.12) vs David Cone (1-1, 2.92)

O’s 6, Yanks 1
Baltimore's ace of aces, Jim Palmer went the distance in shutting down New York's potent attack by allowing only 1 run on 4 hits in a complete game effort.  Cone left in the 8th with 1 out and down by 1.  Brooks Robinson was the only Oriole starter without a hit.  Ellie Hendricks was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and 2 Runs scored and a homer run.

8/23 - Memorial Stadium
Andy Pettitte vs Dave McNally

O’s 5, Yanks 4
Pundits would call this pitching matchup a mirror image.  Both crafty lefties were on their "A" game today.  Unfortunately mother nature was not as the Baltimore faithful were treated to 2 hours and 15 minutes of rain delay in the 6th inning.  By the time the rain cleared both starters were gone.  The score was knotted at 1 at the time of the deluge.  Ramiro Mendoza came on board for the Bombers and was lit up for 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th when Boog Powell hit a bases clearing double with 2 outs.  Baltimore relieves Moe Drabowsky and Pete Richert blanked New York for their respective 1 inning stints.  Eddie watt came on in the 9th to close it out and proved to be the antithesis of "Mo".  Watt gave up 3 runs and almost blew the game.  With runners on the corners and two out he "lucked out" by getting Chili Davis to ground out to Mark Belanger at short.

8/24 - Memorial Stadium
Orlando Hernandez (1-0, 1.38) vs Tom Phoebus (0-1, 4.97)
Yanks 2, O’s 1

For 7+ innings El Duque changes speeds and arm slots to keep the big Oriole bats off stride.  Baltimore could only muster 4 hits off the former Cuban National team star.  Tom Phoebus only gave up 2 runs in his 8 sharp innings and on most days that would be more than enough to notch the W.  New York scored in the top of the first when "Bern Baby Bern" (Bernie Williams) hit a 2 out solo shot.  New York scored again in the 5th when Paul O'Neill doubled and went to third on a throwing error by Oriole left fielder Don Bufford.  Paully scored immediately on a slow roller to short to make it 2-1.  Frank Robinson doubled home Boog Powell with 2 outs in the 9th to cut the lead to 2-1 and give everyone hope.  Unfortunately hope does fast when "Mo" is on the hill and today was no exception.  Even though he didn't' have his best stuff Rivera was able to get Davey Johnson to ground out weakly to Brosisus to end the game.