Yankees 8, Orioles 5: Mark Teixeira snapped a tie with a two-run homer in the seventh inning as visiting New York took the opener of a brief two-game series.

Curtis Granderson also homered, Alex Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Nick Swisher recorded two RBIs for the Yankees, who have won six of eight.

Swisher erased a 2-0 deficit in the fourth with a two-run double and Granderson put New York ahead with a two-out solo blast an inning later. J.J. Hardy capped a three-run rally by the Orioles in the fifth with a two-run homer before an error by first baseman Chris Davis in the sixth allowed two runs to score to tie the game.

Rodriguez led off the seventh with a single and Teixeira drilled a 1-2 offering from former Yankee Luis Ayala (1-1) over the wall in right field for his fifth shot of the year and a 7-5 lead.

The homer made a winner of rookie David Phelps (1-1), who yielded three hits and struck out one in an inning. Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many appearances.

Yankees starter Ivan Nova allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings before leaving with a bruised right foot and sprained right ankle.

Hardy finished with three RBIs for the Orioles, who fell to 3-5 on their nine-game homestand.

GAME NOTEBOOK: After going 0-for-4 in his major league debut Sunday, Baltimore left fielder Xavier Avery recorded his first two hits Monday. The 22-year-old led off the first inning with a double and delivered an RBI triple in the fifth. ... Yankees reliever Clay Rapada faced two batters in relief of Nova before exiting with a viral infection. ... Baltimore starter Josh Hammel yielded five runs, marking the first time he's allowed more than two in seven starts this season.