Yankees 6, Orioles 5

Some games hinge on hold-your-breath moments. Sixth inning, 3-2 Yanks, 2 outs, nobody on, Jared Wright flying. Corey Patterson drag-bunts, Wright picks it off the wet grass, can't find the handle. Then: steal, base hit, 3-3.

Second moment: ninth inning, 5-5 game, two outs, Damon on first, Jeter at bat, count 1-1. Damon attempts to steal, throw has him beat . . . only the ball drops out of Brian Roberts' glove as he brings it up. Nine Orioles head off the field . . . only to be called back by the umpire, who followed the entire play.

Now, 2-1 to Jeter, with Giambi (who earlier had hit a ball to the platform behind the right-field bleachers--he may be coming out of his slump, which will be huge if the Yankees intend to win without Matsui, without (for awhile) Sheff, and with Posada and Damon dealing with various nagging injuries) on deck. Once again, to the surprise of exactly no one, Jeter goes the other way, Damon trots home. 6-5 Yanks.

Then--surprise!--Kardiac Kyle, who had given up the tying run in the eighth, vultures the win with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Not pretty. But acceptable.