BALTIMORE — CC Sabathia allowed three runs in 7 2/3 innings, Robinson Cano homered and the New York Yankees took control early against the Baltimore Orioles in an 8-3 victory Wednesday night.
Nick Swisher had his second straight three-hit game for the Yankees, who built a 6-0 lead in the third inning against Jeremy Guthrie (0-3).
Sabathia (3-1) gave up 11 hits, struck out five and walked two. The left-hander came within four outs of becoming the first Yankee since David Wells in 1998 to pitch three straight complete games.
In 15 career appearances against Baltimore, Sabathia is 10-1 with a 2.62 ERA. He had pitched 54 innings at Camden Yards without allowing a home run before Nick Markakis connected in the seventh.
Miguel Tejada had two hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who fell to 1-7 at home. Baltimore's first winning streak of the season — a modest two games — ended.
Guthrie allowed seven runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Three slumping hitters teamed in the first inning to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. After Derek Jeter ended a 2-for-16 slide with a leadoff double, Nick Johnson (1-for-14) singled to left. The ball got past Lou Montanez, allowing Jeter to score and Johnson to take second. After a groundout, Alex Rodriguez (1-for-17) hit a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom half, Sabathia struck out Matt Wieters with runners at the corners and two outs.
New York made it 5-0 in the second. Jorge Posada was struck in the right knee by a pitch, Curtis Granderson snapped a 0-for-17 skid with a single and both scored on a triple by Swisher. One out later, Jeter delivered a run-scoring fly to right.
Posada was replaced behind the plate in the bottom of the inning by Francisco Cervelli. Posada left with a bruised right knee, an injury that was not perceived to be serious.
Cano hit his sixth home run in the third for a 6-0 lead. In the Baltimore half, Tejada drove in a run with a groundout.
Cervelli singled in a run in the fifth and Jeter made it 8-1 with an RBI single in the sixth. In the Baltimore sixth, Tejada doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Reimold.
Notes
Jeter's double tied Don Mattingly for third place on the Yankees' career list (442). … Cano has 15 lifetime homers against Baltimore, tied with Boston for the most against any team. … Markakis, who came in 2-for-17 lifetime against Sabathia, went 3-for-4 against the lefty. … Mark Teixeira went 1-for-5 and is batting .133.