Controversial Call Costs Yankees

The Baltimore Orioles squeaked past the New York Yankees 5-4 to pull back into a tie with the Yanks atop the topsy-turvy American League East.

Mark Teixeira was called out at first base following his headfirst slide, giving Baltimore the win and first place.

“Sometimes you wonder if the umpires are just trying to get out of there,” Teixeira told the NY Daily News. “They don’t want you to make a comeback, they want to go home, because those are terrible calls.

“I’m probably going to get fined, but I don’t care, really, because I’m out there fighting,” he later added. “We’re out there fighting. When you’re battling like we’re battling and I’m out there on one leg and they can’t get a call right, that pisses you off. It really does.”

Mark Reynolds, Lew Ford and J.J. Hardy homered for the Orioles, who've won 11 of 15 overall and nine of the last 13 against the Yankees. With a victory Sunday, Baltimore will win the season series for the first time since 1997. The Orioles beat Yankees ace CC Sabathia.

Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis will be out for at least six weeks with a broken left thumb, the result of being hit by a pitch.

The Associated Press contributed to this report