Orioles’ strategy works in 6-4 victory

This was exactly how the Baltimore Orioles planned it: Build a lead, then hand it to the big-money bullpen.

Four games into the season, they finally got a chance to do that.

Baltimore roughed up Mike Mussina in his 2007 debut and their new relievers protected a late lead, helping the Orioles defeat the New York Yankees, 6-4, Friday night for their first victory of the season.

“If the guys that we added come in and do the job like that all season, we’re going to win some games,” Manager Sam Perlozzo said. “We used everything we had to win the game tonight.”

Starter Adam Loewen held New York’s powerful lineup in check, Melvin Mora played an outstanding all-around game and Baltimore avoided opening 0-4 for the first time since 1988.

“It was really no time to panic. But I just felt like we needed to win a ballgame,” Perlozzo said.

Robinson Cano drove in two runs for the Yankees, but Alex Rodriguez failed to come through in another clutch situation and they dropped their second in a row since an opening-day victory over Tampa Bay. The Yankees were three for 14 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight at second or third.

“They pitched well when we had guys on base,” Derek Jeter said.

Mora got three hits and scored twice. He also had a delayed steal and made a diving catch at third base. Nick Markakis doubled twice and drove in two runs, and Jay Gibbons had a two-run single.

Looking to provide support for their young starting pitchers, the Orioles spent $41.5 million in the off-season on three relievers: Danys Baez, Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford.

Trailing, 6-3, the Yankees put their first two batters on against Bradford in the seventh, but Rodriguez struck out swinging at a curveball.

The night before, he popped out with the bases loaded to end the eighth inning of a 7-6 loss to the Devil Rays.

Walker came in and struck out Jason Giambi before walking Hideki Matsui and giving up a run-scoring single to Jorge Posada. But Walker retired Cano to end the inning, and Baez pitched a perfect eighth to set up Chris Ray for his first save.

“That’s what we paid for,” Gibbons said.