By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Manager Joe Girardi made a huge move, inserting Raul Ibanez in the lineup for slumping superstar Alex Rodriguez.

Ibanez came through with a homer to knot the game in the ninth and another round-tripper in the 12th inning to send the Yanks to a 3-2 win over the O's in game 3 of an ALDS series.

Ibanez, who helped the Yankees take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five affair, enjoyed one of the greatest performances in MLB playoff history and made his sometimes maligned skipper look like a genius.

A-Rod, for his part, proved classy despite being pinch-hit for after going hitlless in three at-bats. His playoff batting average slipped to an abysmal .083.

Ryan Flaherty and Manny Machado homered in the third and fifth innings, respectively, as the Orioles forged a 2-1 lead.

Derek Jeter, one of the few Yankees hitting in the postseason, tripled in Russell Martin in the third frame as the Yanks knotted the score at 1-1.

Ibanez' heroics overshadowed a terrific pitching performance by both starters, as Miguel Gonzalez allowed just one run over seven innings for the O's. Yanks starter Hiroki Kuroda was nearly as effective in giving up just two runs over 8 1/3 frames.

New York's bullpen tossed 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, with Dave Robertson picking up the win for two strong innings of work. Baltimore's usual stellar relief corps failed the team, with Jim Johnson and Brian Matusz giving up Ibanez' crushing blows.

 

 

 

Ibanez Slugs Two Homers to Power Yankees Over Orioles