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Pettitte Earns Win No. 200

By JAY COHEN, The Associated Press

Published: September 20, 2007

NEW YORK - Andy Pettitte earned his 200th win, Mariano Rivera escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth and the Yankees edged the Orioles 2-1 to complete a three-game sweep that pulled them within 1 1/2 games of first place Boston.
Hideki Matsui hit a solo homer and Doug Mientkiewicz scored on a wild pitch for New York, which has won 12 of 14.

The Yankees, a season-high 24 games over .500, closed within 1 1/2 games of the AL East-leading Red Sox and opened a 5 1/2 -game lead against Detroit in the wild-card race. It's the closest New York has been to first place since the Yankees trailed by one game before play April 20.

'Four months ago, nobody gave us credit. And now we're close to winning the division,' Rivera said.
Melvin Mora had an RBI single in the sixth for Baltimore, cutting New York's lead to 2-1. Mora advanced on a groundout, but Pettitte retired Nick Markakis on an inning-ending flyout.

Pettitte got the first two outs of the eighth before giving way to rookie Joba Chamberlain, who had never entered in the middle of an inning. Pettitte trotted off the field to a thunderous ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd and doffed his cap as he reached the dugout. Chamberlain struck out Mora, pumping his fist as he walked off the mound.

Mariano Rivera worked the ninth, allowing a bloop, one-out double to Markakis. He retired Kevin Millar on a flyout, loaded the bases with walks to Aubrey Huff and Ramon Hernandez, then threw a called third strike past pinch-hitter Scott Moore.

Rivera got his 30th save in 33 chances, reaching 30 saves for the fifth straight season and the 10th time in 11.

The slumping Orioles have lost 22 of their 28 last games. They scored just six runs in the three games against New York.

Pettitte allowed at least one runner in each of the first seven innings, but his defense responded with three double plays, including one that ended the fifth and led to Jay Payton's second ejection of the series.

Kevin Millar led off the inning with a single. He was erased when Huff grounded into a fielder's choice but Hernandez singled to give Baltimore runners on first and second. Payton worked the count full before he looked at a called third strike.

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