The New York Yankees won Game 3 by the score of 3-2 thanks to Raul Ibanez, who single handedly defeated the Baltimore Orioles.
He struck first in the bottom of the 9th hitting a game-tying home run off closer Jim Johnson. Girardi looked savvy as he chose Ibanez over Alex Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was the first Yankee on the step congratulating Ibanez. After the game, Ibanez said Rodriguez is a wonderful teammate.
Ibanez got another chance to work his magic and did not waste time taking a first pitch fastball over the right field wall for his second home run of the game and the final run of the game.
All in all, it was a disappointing loss for the Orioles who worked so hard to take the lead throughout the game. Their rookies put them in a winning position, but Ibanez was the better hero tonight.
The Orioles had Manny Machado, Ryan Flaherty and Miguel Gonzalez do it all for them.
Gonzalez led the way pitching seven innings allowing just one run on five hits while striking out eight.
He was in complete dominance throughout the game and in reality, the one run he gave up should have never scored. Adam Jones got a bad read off Derek Jeter's bat.
The other two rookies, Machado and Flaherty went deep, providing the Orioles with their two runs of the game.
Flaherty led off the fourth with a no-doubter over the right field wall. Machado smashed a hanging slider over the left field wall and into the Orioles' bullpen.
Hiroki Kuroda made those two mistakes and that was all. The Orioles threatened a few times, with their biggest chance coming in the fourth when they had runners on first and second with no outs, but he managed to retire Matt Wieters and Jim Thome. He then plunked Mark Reynolds, but Flaherty could not capitalize in this at bat with the bases loaded.
Darren O'Day came into the game in the eighth and retired Russell Martin on a weak grounder to third. Machado then caught a popup from Eric Chavez and then O'Day handled Jeter in the eighth.
Johnson however, could not hold it. Roberts got the win for the Yankees as he was able to hold on to the 2-2 tie.
Game 4 is tomorrow, Thursday, and the Orioles will need to win if they want to stay alive.
Phil Hughes will take the mound for the Yankees. Meanwhile, it looks like Joe Saunders, the Wild Card Game winner, will take the hill.
