Sabathia, Yanks' Take Game 1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Yankees	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	5	7	10	1
Orioles	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	1

R

H

E

Yankees

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

5

7

10

1

Orioles

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

8

1

R

H

E

Yankees

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

5

7

10

1

Orioles

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

8

1

C.C. Sabathia pitches against the Orioles on Sunday night. (Getty Images)

The Yankees were able to defeat the Orioles 7-2 in a crucial Game 1 of the American League Division Series. C.C. Sabathia proved why he is the ace of the staff as he picked up the win tonight. Sabathia was one out away from notching his first career postseason complete game.

Sabathia allowed 2 runs on 8 hits in 8 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 7 batters and walked only 1. Sabathia was lifted with two outs in the ninth inning after throwing 120 pitches, in which 80 of them were for strikes. He made only one mistake tonight, which was a two-run single by Nate McLouth in the third inning.

The Yankee offense got off to a fast start as they scored in the top half of the first inning. After a Derek Jeter leadoff single, Ichiro Suzuki knocked him in with a RBI double to left-center field.

Down by one run in the fourth inning, the Yankees were able to tie the game on a Mark Teixeira single, which scored Alex Rodriguez.

The Yankees would go into the ninth inning with the scored tied at two. The Yankees were able to rough up Jim Johnson, the Orioles closer, as they scored five runs to blow the game wide open.

Russell Martin led off the ninth inning with a solo-shot to left field. Ichiro Suzuki, Robinson Cano, and Nick Swisher would all drive in runs to put the game out of reach.

David Robertson relieved Sabathia with two outs in the ninth inning to close out Game 1.

The Yankees and Orioles will continue the American League Division Series tomorrow night.