Miller helps Yankees hold off Orioles 8-6

Another tough day for the Yankees looked like it was about to get a lot worse.
The Orioles were rallying, Camden Yards was buzzing. And then Andrew Miller came jogging out to the mound to change all that.
After losing Mark Teixeira to the 15-day DL - and perhaps much longer - the Yankees squandered a big lead in Baltimore. But Miller bailed them out of a jam with two perfect relief innings in an 8-6 win Saturday.
Ivan Nova seemed on his way to an easy victory at the start of the seventh inning with the Yankees ahead, 7-0. But Nova allowed a leadoff home run to Mark Trumbo and a two-run shot to Pedro Alvarez to make it 7-3.
After a walk and a base hit, Nova was pulled without getting an out in the seventh. But reliever Nick Goody immediately gave up a towering three-run homer off the bat of Adam Jones.
Six runs in. No outs. One run game. It was bedlam at Camden Yards as Miller jogged to the mound.
But the left-hander went through the heart of the Orioles’ lineup, retiring all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth.
Alex Rodriguez added an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth, and Aroldis Chapman got the save _ securing a much-needed boost for the Yankees.
On Saturday morning, the Yankees found out they lost Teixeira to torn cartilage in his right knee. Teixeira, who left Friday night’s loss with knee pain, is aiming to avoid season-ending surgery.
“That is our hope,” manager Joe Girardi said. “Through some treatment, and rest, it’ll get better.”
But even Teixeira himself acknowledged he’s not sure if rest and treatment will fix the problem.
He plans to meet with team doctors Monday in New York to formulate a plan.
Teixeira, who said he’s also dealing with a bulging disk in his neck, is in the midst of a dismal season, averaging .180 with only three homers and 12 RBIs in 48 games.
But the Yankees will still miss him.
“It’s a big loss,” Girardi said. “I know his numbers aren’t where we expect them to be, but at any point we felt that he would get hot and do his thing.”
His absence will be felt especially on defense, where there are few options to replace his trusty glove.
Dustin Ackley, who appeared in 12 games at first this year, had season-ending shoulder surgery Friday. Greg Bird, who shined as a rookie, won’t play this year because of shoulder surgery. And with Brian McCann nursing a hyperextended elbow for the next few days, the Yankees can’t use him or backup catcher Austin Romine at first base.
That leaves Girardi with two options for the near future: Rob Refsnyder and Chris Parmelee. Parmelee was called up Saturday to replace Teixeira on the roster.
But Girardi gave Refsynder the start against the Orioles.
“I like the way he’s swinging the bat,” Girardi said of Refsynder, who got a first baseman’s mitt a few days ago and had never played first base professionally before replacing Teixeira on Friday night. “Let’s find out what he can do.”
Refsynder, a middle infielder by trade, looked capable at first base for the second straight game Saturday. And he used his bat to help spark the Yankees offense to an impressive night.
In the fourth inning, Refsynder ripped a two-out RBI double to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. Refsynder scored moments later, when Romine singled him in from second.
The Yankees took a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh. The game seemed well in hand, Nova had allowed only three hits in the first six innings.

RESULTS
Chicago Cubs     5     Arizona     3
Milwaukee     6     Philadelphia     3
Pittsburgh     8     LA Angels     7
Boston     6     Toronto     4
Detroit     7     Chicago White Sox     4
NY Mets     6     Miami     4
Houston     6     Oakland     5 (12 innings)
Cincinnati     6     Washington     3
Tampa Bay     7     Minnesota     4
Cleveland     7     Kansas City     1
NY Yankees     8     Baltimore     6
St. Louis     7     San Francisco     4
Texas     10     Seattle     4
LA Dodgers     4     Atlanta     0
San Diego     4     Colorado     3