Yankees 12, Orioles 3: Robinson Cano highlighted a seven-run third inning with a grand slam and Phil Hughes pitched six solid frames as host New York avoided a sweep by pounding Baltimore.

Curtis Granderson added a solo homer - his 29th - and Derek Jeter recorded three hits and three RBIs for the Yankees, who pushed their American League East lead back to 6 1/2 games over the Orioles and Tampa Bay.

New York broke a 4-1 game open in the third with seven straight two-out runs. Jayson Nix’s RBI double opened the scoring in the frame and knocked out starter Zach Britton. Jeter greeted Kevin Gregg with a two-run single and the next two reached in front of Cano, who took a 1-2 slider and blasted it down the right field line for his 24th home run.

Hughes (11-8) took it from there, scattering nine hits and a pair of walks while striking out two and yielding one run. The right-hander has put together a quality start in six of his last seven turns.

Britton (1-1) was charged with seven runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. The left-hander has been knocked around for 13 runs in his last two outings to push his ERA to a robust 8.35.

The Yankees did most of their damage in the first three innings, putting a pair on the board in the first on Granderson’s blast and a sacrifice fly from Andruw Jones. Jeter and Nick Swisher pitched in RBI singles in the second.

New York right-hander Joba Chamberlain made his season debut in the seventh and surrendered a solo home run to J.J. Hardy. Chamberlain ended up yielding two runs and four hits in 1 2/3 innings.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Casey McGehee, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, made his debut for the Yankees and played first base, going 0-for-2 at the plate with a sacrifice fly. … New York 1B Mark Teixeira (wrist) missed the game and will be out until at least the weekend. … The Orioles have not swept a three-game series at New York since 1986. … New York OF Ichiro Suzuki made his first career regular-season start in left field.