Yankees Lose Tough Game

Yankees starter Phil Hughes faltered after pitching five solid innings, and the Orioles scored seven sixth-inning runs en route to an 8-2 victory on Friday night. Hughes (0-3) allowed three hits and walked two through five innings of a 1-1 tie before the Orioles knocked him out in the sixth. He exited after allowing five hits in one-tihrd of an inning, the final one coming on a run-scoring infield single by Adam Jones on which third baseman Alex Rodriguez double-clutched before sailing a throw past first baseman Jason Giambi. Needing a long outing by Hughes to protect a bullpen that had thrown 11 innings in the club's previous two games, the Yankees instead were teased by their top pitching prospect before dropping the opener of a 10-game, 11-day road trek. Hughes allowed five runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out one. Chad Moeller hit his first home run of the year and drove in two runs for the Yankees. New York couldn't capitalize on the generosity of Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera (1-0), who allowed two hits, walked three and twice hit Hideki Matsui in six-plus innings. The right-hander allowed a baserunner in five of his six frames but minimized the damage with the help of a double play and a Yankee thrown out at home to end the fourth. He also worked out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the sixth, striking out Melky Cabrera to end the inning.