DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
BALTIMORE (AP) — The New York Yankees were one out away from celebrating their third straight win, the second straight on a home run by Chris Young.
And then, the reality of this dismal season robbed them of another feel-good moment.
Adam Warren gave up a two-run double to pinch-hitter Jimmy Paredes in the 11th inning that rallied the Baltimore Orioles to a 2-1 victory Friday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
The game was scoreless until the top of the 11th, when Young connected with two outs off Brad Brach (7-1). Young hit his first Yankees homer on Wednesday and then had a game-winning, three-run drive against Tampa Bay in the ninth inning on Thursday night.
In the bottom half, however, Warren (3-6) sandwiched two walks around a hit batter before Paredes hit a first-pitch liner into the right-field corner.
The Yankees started four games back for the second AL wild card and are in danger of missing consecutive postseasons for the first time since 1992 and ’93.
“To see us get that home run and us get the lead, then give it back like that, it’s extremely frustrating for me,” Warren said.
Manager Joe Girardi echoed the sentiment.
“You get the home run and a chance to catch some momentum after the way we won last night, it’s frustrating,” he said.
Brandon McCarthy blanked Baltimore on four hits over seven-plus innings in a duel with rookie Kevin Gausman, who allowed seven hits over seven innings.
“That kind of game you would love to win, where you grind and you grind and you pull it out in the end and gain some momentum,” McCarthy said.
New York played without shortstop Derek Jeter, who was struck on the left elbow with a pitch on Thursday night.
Baltimore’s fifth straight victory, matching a season high, served as a bit of good news on a day in which slugger Chris Davis began a 25-game suspension without pay for a positive test for an amphetamine. The suspension will cover the final 17 games of the regular season and run into the playoffs should the Orioles advance for the second time in three years.
“Dwelling on this isn’t going to do us any good,” right fielder Nick Markakis said. “Today was a big win for us, and that’s our standpoint.”
This game was a makeup of the rainout on Aug. 12.
Baltimore began the day with a 10-game division lead, its largest since 1979, and the victory drew the Orioles closer to their first AL East title since 1997.
The crowd was kept entertained by a series of fly-overs by the Blue Angels, who repeatedly circled the stadium while practicing for a ceremony at nearby Fort McHenry to mark the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
At one point, McCarthy paused briefly on the mound to check out the action.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: 3B Chase Headley did not play after being hit in the jaw by a pitch against the Rays.
“Tests came out good. No fractures,” Girardi said. “He had to get a few stitches. He will see a neurologist (Friday) and then we’ll determine what’s next. Hopefully, he can join us fairly quickly. All I can say is, it’s day by day. He’ll see the neurologist and a lot could change.”
Also, RHP David Phelps (elbow inflammation) was activated from the 15-day disabled list.
Orioles: SS J.J. Hardy returned missing time with back spasms.
UP NEXT
Brandon Mitchell was to make his first major league start for the Yankees in the second game of the doubleheader, going up against Baltimore’s Bud Norris (12-8), who came in with a six-game winning streak against AL East foes.
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