Swisher's two-run HR in ninth ends Yanks' skid at 3

Two outs away from a deflating sweep by the last-place Orioles and a season-high four-game losing streak, Nick Swisher got the pitch he was looking for from reliever Koji Uehara.

With one out in the ninth, Swisher blasted a 2-and-0 fastball to left-centerfield for a two-run home run that gave the Yankees a 3-2 win Wednesday and ended a 10-game homestand on a positive note.

The switch hitter, batting lefthanded, went deep for the 26th time this season. It was his third hit of the game, which he entered in an 0-for-14 slump.

"They came in and took the first two games in our home, and we didn't like that too much," Swisher said after receiving the customary whipped-cream pie in the face. "It took us a while to get it going, but it's just great to come out of this homestand with a big win."

Despite the deflating news of Jorge Posada's potential absence (he was taken to a hospital yesterday with concussion symptoms after taking a foul tip to the head Tuesday), Swisher's bomb gave the Yankees a spark they lacked in the past three losses.

"We needed a shot in the arm," said Alex Rodriguez, who hit a leadoff single in the ninth. "It felt like we've been sleepwalking the past couple of nights."

Also encouraging was the performance of Ivan Nova, who surrendered only two runs in six innings in his fourth big-league start. "I thought today was the best [start] I've had," Nova said.

After the Yankees scored on Brett Gardner's one-out double in the third, the Orioles rallied in the fifth. With a runner on second, Nova fell behind 3-and-0 to Matt Wieters, who drilled a two-run homer to leftfield for a 2-1 Orioles lead.

"It was just a bad pitch for Wieters and he got it," catcher Francisco Cervelli said. "It was a great hit."

Manager Joe Girardi said he was impressed with Nova nonetheless. "He pitched an outstanding game again today," Girardi said. "He got behind Wieters and left a fastball up, but I thought he was excellent today."

Nova recovered in the next inning to retire the side with two on and two out before David Robertson replaced him in the seventh.

Robertson retired the next four batters, and lefty Boone Logan fanned Luke Scott and Felix Pie to get out of the eighth. In the ninth, despite a throwing error by Derek Jeter, Joba Chamberlain retired the side to keep the Yankees within a run.

Swisher's third walk-off home run of his career gave the Yankees their fourth walk-off win this season.

"The feeling was that we'd come back," Girardi said. "Swish got a pitch up over the plate and hit it out to left. That's not easy to do, but it was a big hit for us."

After today's off day, the Yankees will begin a nine-game trip against the AL West-leading Rangers. Then come series against the Rays, second in the AL East, and the Orioles.

With the test that lies ahead, Swisher's heroics to stave off a sweep couldn't have been more timely.

"It's unacceptable for us to be swept at home," Rodriguez said. "Today was important for many reasons."