Orioles’ Cabrera Throws One-Hitter

The most astonishing thing about Daniel Cabrera’s near no-hitter was the lineup it came against.

Cabrera got within two outs of a stunning gem against the star-studded New York Yankees before Robinson Cano slapped a clean single to left, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated New York, 7-1, Thursday night.

With a fastball that reached 97 mph, Cabrera overcame three errors and cruised into the ninth inning with a chance to make history at Yankee Stadium.

But after Johnny Damon grounded to first, Cano punched an 0-and-1 pitch to the opposite field for New York’s only hit -- drawing a roar from the crowd and a pained expression from Cabrera.

“I thought it was a really good pitch,” he said. “I made the right pitch. He’s a good hitter and he hit it.”

On the next pitch, Bobby Abreu bounced into a game-ending double play.

“I’m really happy and excited. It’s the best game I ever pitched,” said Cabrera, who lives about two minutes from Cano in the Dominican Republic.

“He’s not my friend anymore,” Cabrera joked.

Cano, batting .343 in his second big league season, was hitless in nine at-bats against Cabrera before his single.

“I wasn’t thinking about breaking it up,” Cano said. “Just go to the plate and get a hit.”

After coming tantalizingly close to Baltimore’s first no-hitter in 15 years, Cabrera (9-10) was left with his third career complete game and second this season. He struck out five and walked two, throwing 71 of his 106 pitches for strikes.

The 25-year-old right-hander nearly became the first pitcher to throw a complete-game no-hitter against the Yankees since Orioles knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm in 1958.

New York was no-hit at home by six Houston pitchers on June 11, 2003.