Derek Jeter had put the Yankees ahead in the 7th - 4-3 with a clutch single up the middle and did it again in the top of the ninth when after Johnny Damon was called out trying to steal second, the umpire noticed the ball was dropped and changed the call to safe. DJ delivered a clutch single to right off of Orioles closer Chris Ray to give the Yankees the lead. Kyle Farnsworth pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth for the win. Kevin Millar led off the inning and grounded to short for the first out. Corey Patterson then fouled out to Andy Phillips at first and the last out was made by Javy Lopez who lined to Bernie Williams in right to end the game.

The Yankees fell behind early 2-0. The Orioles scored in the first on an RBI bloop single by Ramon Hernandez and added another run later. Andy Phillips got the Yankees to within a run by homering off O's starter Kris Benson. In the sixth, Jason Giambi crushed a Benson low inside pitch deep to right to give the Yankees a temporary lead at 3-2. However, the next inning Jaret Wright got the first two outs and Corey Patterson attempted to bunt. Wright fielded the ball cleanly but took his eye off his glove and dropped the ball and allowed Patterson to reach. He stole second even though the Yankees pitched out and then scored to tie the game on a single from Javy Lopez.

The Yankees went ahead in the seventh on the aforementioned RBI single from Jeter and the second run scoring on a wild pitch. Ron Villone pitched out of trouble in the seventh and Scott Erickson relieved him in the eighth and gave up an RBI double to Luis Matos to make the score 5-4 and put runners on second and third with only one out. Torre summoned Farnsworth and with the bases loaded he got the hard ground ball to third, but Cairo playing in place of flu riden A-Rod bobbled the ball and could not turn the double play. Farnsworth then intentionally walked Tejada to load the bases but then retired the next batter to end the inning.