Bottom of order leads Yanks to Game 1 win

Their lineup looked anything but intimidating.

But the Yankees once again proved they can beat opponents even without a full complement of big-name stars.

Nick Swisher provided pop with his 13th home run of the season and Eric Chavez, Chris Dickerson and Francisco Cervelli bolstered the bottom half of the batting order in the Yankees' 8-3 victory over the Orioles in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader.

Buoyed by Swisher's 3-for-4 performance, the No. 5 through 9 hitters went 10-for-19 (.526) with six runs, six RBIs, two doubles and a home run. Chavez, Dickerson and Cervelli had two hits and an RBI each.

"We expect all our guys to hit, but it seemed like the bottom of the order did a ton of damage today -- Chavez, Posada, Dickerson and Cervy," said Joe Girardi, whose No. 1-4 hitters went 1-for-17. "They had big days today and were on base a lot and drove in a lot of runs for us.

"Those contributions are extremely important because it can't always be the guys in the middle. You get a big day from Swish, too, which is great. So it's always nice when everyone is contributing."

Jorge Posada got the Yankees' first hit in the third and was forced at second on Dickerson's bunt. Cervelli's ground-rule double to left-center put runners at second and third for Brett Gardner, who slashed a two-run single off third baseman Mark Reynolds' glove for a 2-0 lead.

Swisher put the Yankees ahead 4-2 with a two-run homer off Chris Tillman in the fourth. Chavez singled to right, and after Posada flied out, Dickerson lined a single to left and Cervelli grounded a single up the middle to make it 5-2. "I try to keep it simple and swing at the pitch I want, and I got a fastball in the middle and that's it," Cervelli said. "Just don't try to do too much because I play like every three or four days.

"It was good," he said of the contributions from the bottom of the order. "Just try to help Bartolo [Colon] and that's it. I do everything I can to win the game."

After missing 21/2 months with a fractured left foot, an injury suffered while he was running out a triple, Chavez said he often thinks about the foot, especially when running the bases. But he didn't have much trouble at the plate. After Swisher's double put runners at second and third with one out in the fifth, Chavez singled home the first run of a three-run inning.

"For me, the skills are there. It's just physically getting the body to cooperate," Chavez said. "The last few years, I haven't felt like my skills diminished. Just physically I haven't been able to get on the field."

After Chavez's hit, a run-scoring groundout by Posada and an RBI single by Dickerson gave the Yankees an 8-2 lead.

"Those guys did such a tremendous job," Swisher said of Dickerson -- who was sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game to make room for Ivan Nova -- and Cervelli. "The talent's there from both of those guys, and when they get that opportunity, they want to make the most of it. So, couldn't be more happy for those guys. They were obviously huge in our win today."