Yankees defeat Orioles behind Burnett (4-0)

After his previous start, a dominant performance Thursday in Baltimore in which he allowed three hits in eight scoreless innings, A.J. Burnett said he felt "free and easy'' on the mound.

There's been a lot of that lately from the Yankees' rotation, with the exception of Javier Vazquez, and Burnett turned in the most recent gem in last night's 4-1 victory over the Orioles at the Stadium.

"We're just trying to pass the torch,'' Burnett said. "I think Phil [Hughes] said it perfectly the other day, you're just trying to pass the baton to the next guy.''

Burnett, who hasn't allowed an earned run in the past 19 innings, is off to the best start of his career, 4-0 for the first time with a 1.99 ERA. "He's just really locked in right now,'' manager Joe Girardi said.

The Yankees (18-8) matched their 2003, 1939 and 1928 teams by winning eight of their first nine series.

Burnett left to a standing ovation after walking Nick Markakis with one out in the eighth, giving way to Damaso Marte.

Marte retired Matt Wieters, and Alfredo Aceves got Miguel Tejada to fly to Greg Golson on the track in center. Golson was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Tuesday and was a late defensive sub when Brett Gardner was shifted to left.

"It went a little farther than I thought,'' said Golson, who caught Tejada's shot about a foot in front of the wall.

Mariano Rivera threw without pain in his creaky left side before the game but Girardi again rested him. Joba Chamberlain allowed a two-out single in the ninth but recorded the save for a second straight night.

"It means a lot to us, even when he's not pitching, for us young guys to be able to pick his brain,'' Chamberlain said of Rivera. "It's one thing to be able to watch it, it's another thing for him to actually be able to explain it to us. It was good for me the last couple days to give him a little break and get him back to where he needs to be.''

The Yankees never got much going against Brian Matusz (2-2). They had three runs and nine hits off the lefty Thursday but last night had only one earned run and six hits, three by Francisco Cervelli, who is getting better by the day.

One of the crucial plays was Matusz's throwing error in the fifth, which led to two runs that broke a 1-1 tie. Ramiro Peña's second RBI, a sacrifice fly in the eighth, made it 4-1.

The Orioles (7-20) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third, though the 26-pitch inning could have been far worse.

Garrett Atkins led off with a single off Alex Rodriguez's glove before Burnett walked Rhyne Hughes. Cesar Izturis followed with a bunt, and when Burnett threw wildly up the first-base line, Atkins scored, Hughes went to third and Izturis to second.

Burnett quickly recovered, striking out Adam Jones, Markakis and Wieters, getting each to miss biting curves, a pitch Burnett didn't throw effectively this season until last night.

"Confidence, I would say,'' Burnett said, comparing this year to last, when he had a 5.26 ERA after six starts. "Confidence in myself and not just the curveball, because that's been out of the equation. Confidence in feeding off these guys throwing before me and throwing after me. It's just fun to be a part of.''