o hit that spot, lucky enough, it went in." It was the 10th

NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter gave Yangervis Solarte some assistance with Yankee Stadium tradition, then the rookie helped make the captain a winner in his final home opener Monday as New York beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2. Jeter doubled high off the left-field wall and scored on Jacoby Ellsburys first hit in pinstripes in the fifth. Hiroki Kuroda (1-1) pitched 6 1-3 sharp innings in the Yankees 112th opener in New York. In what manager Joe Girardi said would be a season-long lovefest for Jeter, the shortstop was cheered every step of the way by an adoring crowd of 48, 142 -- even when his double-play grounder back to Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2) scored Solarte in the third inning for the first run. Solarte, a career minor leaguer and non-roster invitee to spring training, continued a torrid start as the suspended Alex Rodriguezs replacement at third base with a go-ahead RBI single in the fourth inning. Playing in his first game in the Bronx, Solarte needed Jeter to tell him to wave to the Bleacher Creatures when they chanted his name during pregame roll call. The Orioles got RBI singles from Matt Wieters and Nelson Cruz in falling to 2-5. Adam Jones and Chris Davis struck out against Adam Warren with a runner on in the eighth and trailing 4-2. Shawn Kelley pitched a perfect ninth for his first career save. Minutes later, the Yankees said closer David Robertson would be put on the disabled list with a strained groin. After missing all but 17 games last season, Jeter announced Feb. 12 his 20th season would be his final one. His retirement tour started on the road, where New York went 3-3 against Houston and Toronto. But Jeter, who went 1 for 4, has said the season doesnt really start until the Yankees have had their home opener, and to help celebrate the team brought together the five-time World Series champion Core Four. Recently retired teammates Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera threw ceremonial first pitches to Jeter and Jorge Posada, who retired after 2011. With an era coming to a close, change was evident everywhere. Robertson moved into Riveras locker. Carlos Beltran was given Robinson Canos choice spot next to the door leading to the players off-limits sanctuary. And the only evidence that Rodriguez -- banned for the year because of his involvement in the Biogenesis drug scandal -- is still a member of the Yankees was in a new series of paintings hanging in the hallway leading to the clubhouse that celebrate New Yorks recent World Series championships. A-Rods nameplate was not above his locker and the new plush chair sitting in front of the stall did not have a No. 13 embroidered in the seatback. Solarte scored New Yorks first run, starting the third with a walk after falling behind 0-2. He advanced to third when Brett Gardner, the only holdover starter from last years opening-day lineup, lined a sharp single to centre field and Jones was slow to get the ball into the infield. Solarte scored on Jeters double-play ball back to Jimenez. Solarte went 1 for 3 and is 9 for 20 this season with six RBIs. The Orioles got the run right back in the fourth when Jones singled, moved to second when Gardner made a leaping catch in foul territory down the line in left on Davis popup and scored on Wieters single. Leading 2-1, the Yankees chased Jimenez in the fifth after Brian Roberts walked to load the bases. But Zach Britton entered and walked Kelly Johnson to make it 4-1. Jimenez yielded four runs and eight hits, walked five and struck out four in his second shaky start since signing a four-year contract in February. NOTES: The Yankees improved to 14-2 in season openers Jeter played in. ... SS J.J. Hardy was not in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of back spasms. "Hes better than he was yesterday," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. ... Orioles LHP Johan Santana (shoulder surgery) was set to throw a two-inning simulated game. ... Yogi Berra was at Yankee Stadium but did not participate in the pregame ceremony. Granddaughter Lindsay Berra tweeted a picture of him with Girardi, Posada and Reggie Jackson. ... Ellsbury had seven hits in the Yankees opening road trip before putting on the home pinstripes. Vince Carter Jersey . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken. Melvin Frazier Jersey . The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics finished their recent trek at 3-1 on Monday in Salt Lake City when Rajon Rondo made a key jumper with 24.1 seconds remaining, as Boston held off the Utah Jazz, 107-102, at EnergySolutions Arena. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-d-j-augustin-magic-jersey/ . Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley. Melvin Frazier Magic Jersey . The Raptors have been outscored 88-66 in the opening quarter over a three-game span to begin the month of February. Their most recent loss, 109-101 in Sacramento on Wednesday, was eerily similar to Saturdays defeat at the hands of the Trail Blazers. Aaron Gordon Magic Jersey . Span, Danny Espinosa and Adam LaRoche had two hits apiece as Washington won the final two games of the series. The Nationals improved to 3-7 against Atlanta. They increased their division lead over the Braves to 1 1/2 games. NASHVILLE -- Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith were too much for the Nashville Predators. Keith scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Blackhawks to a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. Kane and Nick Leddy also scored for Chicago, which has won five of six. Shea Weber scored for the Predators. Keith scored the games first goal at 1:29 of the opening period on a slap shot from the left side that beat Nashville goaltender Carter Hutton on the stick side. "I try to have a good gap and be good defensively," Keith said. "As a defenceman, thats your first and foremost job is how you defend. Its something I take a lot of pride in. The offence kind of just takes care of itself." Making his fourth consecutive start, Hutton had his three-game winning streak snapped. On Monday, he was selected the NHLs third star of the week. Hutton spent the past two seasons in the Blackhawks organization before signing with Nashville in the off-season. Weber tied it at 3:03 of the first with a power-play goal. On the right side, Roman Josi faked a shot and then sent a pass to Weber at the top of the right circle where the Nashville captain beat Chicago goaltender Antti Raanta with a one-timer. That was the only goal Raanta allowed in the first, despite 17 Nashville shots on goal in the period. Chicago only allowed 11 Nashville shots over the final two periods combined. "I just thought we just mismanaged a few situations tonight that gave them enough momentum," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We should have got points out of this game. We played well enough to do that, but the second period and the third period, they did a good job. We coulddnt get any forecheck going.dddddddddddd We couldnt get any sustained pressure." The Blackhawks answered back at 16:14 of the first with a highlight reel power-play goal by Kane. Skating down the right side, the left-handed shooting Kane lifted a tough angle backhand just underneath the crossbar for his team-leading 20th goal of the season. "Its a play that we have been trying off the breakout on the power play with the entry," Kane said. "I just tried to hit that spot, lucky enough, it went in." It was the 10th straight game in which Kane has recorded at least one point, two shy of his career best. "Hes got a lot of tools," Hutton said. "He can do a lot of things with the puck. Hes a pretty special player. We gave him time and space like that he kind of made us pay." Leddy scored on the power play at 11:33 of the second to cap the scoring. Standing on the left side, he put home the rebound of Brandon Saads shot from the right side. The puck entered and exited the net so quickly, it was initially ruled no goal on the ice, but a quick video review credited Leddy with his fourth of the season. "I liked our game," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "I liked our attention to detail, very businesslike and came out to a good start. The power play was big again for us." Notes: The Blackhawks have scored at least one power-play goal in their past 10 games. Chicago LW Bryan Bickell returned to the lineup after missing 14 games with a lower-body injury. Predators G Marek Mazanec missed the game with an illness. Magnus Hellberg was recalled under emergency conditions from Milwaukee of the AHL to serve as Huttons backup. ' ' '