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Orioles’ Cabrera Throws One-Hitter

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From the Associated Press

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.

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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.

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“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.

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

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