Orioles Make Rivera Look All Too Human

The Yankees’ usually unhittable closer gave up five runs--against a team that had been 0-6 against New York this year.

And the Baltimore Orioles, the team with the fewest home runs in the majors, hit three Sunday to beat the Yankees, 10-5, in 11 innings at New York.

But even after hammering Mariano Rivera, the Orioles weren’t comfortable. Not with three outs to go.

“You hope that five is going to be enough in this place, but we’ve seen that evaporate too,” said Jeff Conine, whose three-run homer to left-center capped the 11th.

After Paul O’Neill hit a tying, two-run home run in the ninth, Baltimore bounced back when shortstop Derek Jeter misplayed a potential inning-ending double-play grounder, allowing Baltimore to score the go-ahead run in the 11th.

“The ball stayed down and I came up,” Jeter said. “I wish I had a better explanation.”

While Jeter flipped to second for the force, Jerry Hairston easily beat Alfonso Soriano’s relay throw to first.

“I’m thinking, ‘My God, I’m dead,’ ” Hairston recalled. “But that’s a tough play, really. The ball gets out there in a hurry and the hitter’s in the shadow.”

Mike Kinkade’s single made the score 7-5, and Conine homered on Rivera’s fastball. “You know what’s coming every single time and it’s still that difficult to hit,” Conine said, referring to Rivera’s cutter. “Countless times you see him come in and nobody ever gets the bat on the ball.”

B.J. Ryan (2-0) finished off the Yankees in the 11th.

Rivera had never been roughed up like this in 339 relief appearances since making his major league debut in 1995. He gave up four runs against Atlanta on July 16, 1999.

“It’s not going to be the last time,” said Rivera, who wasn’t worried about the shaky performance.

Boston 5, Oakland 4--Manny Ramirez tied the score with a two-run home run in the eighth, and Jason Varitek hit the game-winning home run in the 11th for the Red Sox at Boston.

Mark Mulder took a 4-1 lead into the eighth, but he left after giving up a leadoff triple to Jose Offerman.

John Valentin followed with an RBI single off Jim Mecir, then Ramirez hit his 13th home run to tie the score, 4-4.

Oakland loaded the bases in the 10th, but Derek Lowe (2-5) struck out Johnny Damon.

Seattle 7, Toronto 5--Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 19 games--and also was hit by two pitches--at Toronto as the Mariners won their fifth in a row.

Suzuki, who scored three runs, doubled on the first pitch of the game from Esteban Loaiza (4-4) and later tripled and singled.

Jamie Moyer (6-1) gave up five runs and eight hits in six innings.

Minnesota 7, Kansas City 3--Luis Rivas hit a two-run home run and Jacque Jones had a pair of RBI singles to lead the Twins at Minneapolis.

The Twins scored four times in the second inning off Mac Suzuki (2-3) on RBI singles by Jones, Torii Hunter and Denny Hocking and a run-scoring groundout by A.J. Pierzynski.

Chicago 6, Texas 3--Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run home run off Rick Helling (1-6) and James Baldwin pitched six strong innings at Chicago.

Herbert Perry and Carlos Lee also homered for the White Sox, who have won six of eight. The White Sox have hit 12 home runs in four games since learning that slugger Frank Thomas would probably be lost for the season because of an injured right arm.

Tampa Bay 7, Cleveland 0--Tanyon Sturtze (1-2) shut out the Indians for seven innings and Steve Cox drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Devil Rays at Cleveland.

Cleveland rookie Danys Baez, a Cuban defector, pitched one scoreless inning in his major league debut after being recalled from the minor leagues before the game.

Greg Vaughn had four hits for Tampa Bay.