Yankees 4, Orioles 2: Hiroki Kuroda worked 6 1/3 strong innings and Derek Jeter doubled and scored in his final home opener as New York held off visiting Baltimore.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Yangervis Solarte each singled in a run and Alfonso Soriano had two hits as the Yankees improved to 15-2 in the last 17 home openers. Kuroda (1-1) allowed two runs on eight hits before three relievers bridged the gap to Shawn Kelley, who filled in for David Robertson and worked a spotless ninth for his first career save.

Matt Wieters and Nelson Cruz each recorded two hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who dropped to 2-5. Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2) was reached for four runs on eight hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings in his second start for Baltimore.

Solarte, who scored the opening run on a double-play groundout in the third, plated the go-ahead run with a single to right in the fourth that Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis could not quite come up with on a diving play. Jeter just missed a home run down the left-field line in the fifth and settled for a double before scoring on Ellsbury’s single.

Kelly Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk later in the fifth to push the lead to 4-1. Baltimore chased Kuroda with three straight hits in the seventh, including Cruz’s RBI single, but Matt Thornton and David Phelps each recorded an out with the tying run aboard to escape the jam.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Yankees’ “core four” combined to throw out the first pitch, with Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera delivering to Jorge Posada and Jeter. … Jeter’s double in the fifth was the 526th of his career, pushing him past Ted Williams and into a tie with Dave Parker for 38th place on the all-time list. … Baltimore SS J.J. Hardy (back spasms) sat for the third time in four games.