Orioles win a wild one over Yankees

A wacky game featuring nine home runs, 12 pitchers and a 67-minute rain delay was ultimately decided when the host Baltimore Orioles mounted one final rally after midnight.

Aubrey Huff doubled in the tiebreaking run in the 11th inning and scored the game-winner on a long single by Alex Cintron, giving the Orioles a 10-9 win over the New York Yankees last night.

After New York took a 9-8 lead in the 11th against Matt Albers (3-1) on an RBI single by Hideki Matsui, Melvin Mora led off the bottom half with a single off LaTroy Hawkins (1-1). One out later, Huff doubled and took third as Mora beat the throw to the plate.

Hawkins then issued two straight intentional walks before Cintron hit a fly ball to right over the drawn-in outfield.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 525th career home run, and Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu also connected for New York. All four homers came against Orioles starter Brian Burres.

But the mistake-prone Yankees made three errors, including two poor throws by Rodriguez from third base, and twice blew four-run leads. Derek Jeter was also picked off second base.

Kevin Millar homered twice, and Ramon Hernandez, Luke Scott and Mora also went deep for the Orioles.

Yankees starter Ian Kennedy left after three innings with a slightly strained muscle near his right rib cage.

In other games:

* At Cleveland, Franklin Gutierrez' grand slam capped a five-run first inning and the Indians beat the Chicago White Sox, 8-2.

* At Anaheim, Gary Matthews Jr. singled in the winning run in the ninth inning as the Angels beat the Detroit Tigers, 3-2.

* At St. Petersburg, Fla., former Tampa Bay prospect Josh Hamilton hit a grand slam and matched his career high with five RBI and the Texas Rangers beat the Rays, 12-6.

* At Kansas City, Michael Cuddyer had two RBI, including one in the 12th on a single, as the Minnesota Twins edged the Royals, 4-3.

* At Seattle, Jose Lopez' single in the ninth lifted the Mariners over the Boston Red Sox, 4-3. Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka left the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a hip injury.

* At Oakland, Greg Smith (3-4) threw a scoreless 6 2/3 innings as the Athletics downed the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-1.

* Yankees catcher Jorge Posada is set to take a big step in his rehabilitation program for a sore right shoulder tomorrow when he is scheduled to resume throwing to the bases in an extended spring training game. He played catch in the outfield and threw to the bases during a pregame workout yesterday before he caught six innings and went 3-for-6 with a double.

* The Detroit Tigers placed Gary Sheffield on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain on his left side, suffered Monday night while running out a grounder.

* The All-Star Game will be held at Yankee Stadium, but could look a lot like a Red Sox game. Boston players were leading the voting at five of the nine positions in early balloting: first baseman Kevin Youkilis, second baseman Dustin Pedroia, catcher Jason Varitek, designated hitter David Ortiz and outfielder Manny Ramirez.

Two Yankees, shortstop Derek Jeter and third baseman Alex Rodriguez, lead at their positions. The Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki and the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero are the outfielders right behind Ramirez.

* Rangers infielder Hank Blalock had a cortisone shot for carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist.

* Blue Jays shortstop David Eckstein (hip flexor) was activated from the disabled list. *