Alex Rodriguez has provided the Yankees plenty of headaches over the last two seasons. On Friday, though, it was the Orioles whom he pounded.
Rodriguez made his 2009 debut a dramatic one by hitting a three-run home run on his first swing of the season and that proved to be more than enough offense for CC Sabathia, who threw a four-hit shutout as the Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Orioles, 4-0, at Camden Yards. The blast by Rodriguez -- who underwent right hip surgery March 9 -- gave a considerable boost to the Yankees as well as Rodriguez. The Yankees went just 13-15 without the All-Star third baseman, but their problems went far beyond the gaping hole he left at third base and in the cleanup spot. Clutch hitting has been almost non-existent for the Yankees, who were outscored by just 13 runs during their losing streak but had gone 41 straight innings without a lead dating back to last Saturday.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, needed to make a big splash to get back in the good graces of fans as well as his organization. Rodriguez has been baseball's most polarizing figure since October 2007, when he opted out of his contract with the Yankees in the middle of the final game of the World Series. The Yankees initially said they had no interest in re-signing Rodriguez but eventually inked him to a 10-year deal worth $275 million.
Rodriguez has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons over the last 10 months. His wife filed for divorce last July, shortly after he was linked to aging pop star Madonna. In February, Sports Illustrated's Selena Roberts reported Rodriguez took steroids while with the Rangers from 2001 through 2003. Rodriguez admitted to the steroid usage in an interview with ESPN, but the press conference he held upon reporting to spring training raised more questions than it answered. And earlier this week, Roberts' controversial biography of Rodriguez, A-Rod: The Many Lives Of Alex Rodriguez, was released.
All may not be forgiven, but Rodriguez' transgressions were momentarily forgotten with one majestic swing of the bat Friday. Rodriguez was greeted enthusiastically at home plate by Mark Teixeira and Johnny Damon before teammates pounded him on the back and head in the dugout.
YANKEES 4, ORIOLES 0: Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer on his first swing of the season and CC Sabathia tossed a four-hit shutout as the Yankees ended a five-game losing streak. Rodriguez, who missed the first 28 games recovering from right hip surgery, finished 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. Johnny Damon added an RBI double in the seventh inning while Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera each had two hits. Sabathia enjoyed his best outing in a Yankees uniform as he struck out eight, issued only one walk and allowed just one runner past second base in a 112-pitch effort. Sabathia retired 17 in a row at one point and struck out the side in the ninth after allowing the first two batters to reach base.
