Yanks Gone Wild! Beat Orioles, 5-3

Saturday night was the start of two things. A winning note for Carl Pavano and another win in the chase for the Wild Card lead.

Carl Pavano got a win in his season debut, pitching for the first time in over a year. It was a good start in his chance to redeem himself for his injury prone seasons and waisted contract.

Pavano wanted to prove to the city of New York that he can go out there and win. Having not won since opening day of last season, he did just that. With good command on most of his pitches he was able to hold the Orioles off.

"It’s amazing. This is what I get paid to do, this is what I live for," Pavano said. "This is all I really want, to go out there every fifth day and do my job."

With Chien-Ming Wang out for most likely the rest of the season and Joba Chamberlain still out, the Yankees needed Pavano to pick up a win in the biggest way. This has got to be his biggest moment with the Yankees, with hopefully some more in the near future.

With the 5-3 victory, the Yankees have clinched the series with the Orioles and look to sweep them on Sunday. Boston Red Sox lost earlier in the day as they were shelled by the Blue Jays 11-0. The Yankees are now just five games back in the Wild Card and are knocking on the door of the playoffs.

The Yankees (69-60) move to nine games over the .500 mark and the bullpen was amazing, going five strong in the winning effort.

Carl Pavano (1-0) went just five innings in where he got a couple of big outs after getting in jams. The Orioles hit him hard, but couldn't get a big hit to break it wide open.

Jason Giambi made the Orioles pay for not taking a big lead, hitting a two-run home run with two outs in the fifth, in where Alex Rodriguez reached after getting drilled by a pitch. A costly inning for the Orioles.  The big blast was Giambi's 25th of the season as the stache is back in a big way.

Hideki Matsui hit his second home run since returing from his injury, his ninth of the season to extend the lead to 5-3, where it would stay.

Brian Bruney went two innings only giving up one hit. Jose Veras pitched a scoreless eighth to get to ball to arguably the best closer in the game, Mariano Rivera.

Mo recorded his 30th save in 31 chances, his second consecutive save to get the Yankees back on track in their race for a playoff spot.

With time running out, the Yankees are treating every game as if was a playoff game and that's how they have to approach it at this point.

Before getting a day off on Monday, the Yankees wrap up the Orioles series in Baltimore on Sunday and then head home for a huge series against rival Boston, whom they are chasing down for that elusive playoff spot.

Darrell Rasner (5-9, 4.93) will get the call for the Yankees, he will oppose Daniel Cabrera (8-8, 4.98).

The Yankees hope Rasner can keep it going and finish off what has been a long road trip to forget and return to the Bronx to turn the season around.

In other news, after losing J.D. Drew, the Red Sox found out today that Josh Beckett will not see the Yankees on Tuesday as planned, and likely will not pitch until Friday. He has been out since Sunday the 17th with tingling in his pitching fingers.