New York @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( May 22, 2013 ) NY Yankees 3, Baltimore 6
The New York Yankees have dropped three of their last four games, but are finding ways to stay in the hunt until three key injured players return in July. The Yankees visit one of the teams they’ll likely be battling to the end when they start a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. With Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson expected back in July, Ichiro Suzuki has led New York, batting .364 with seven RBIs and six multi-hit games over his last 14 contests.
The Orioles won two of the last three games - getting solid starting pitching - after dropping four in a row. Chris Davis, who has 13 RBIs in the last eight games, looks to add to his Baltimore club-record of 28 homers before the end of June. Adam Jones is due to get rolling again for the Orioles after batting .222 and producing only one RBI in the last seven games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WWOR (New York), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH David Phelps (5-4, 4.01 ERA) vs. Orioles LH T.J. McFarland (1-0, 4.14)
Phelps has pitched better of late, winning four of his last six decisions and allowing two or fewer runs in three of his last four starts. The right-hander struck out six, yielding no runs and one hit, in four innings of relief against Baltimore on April 13 and is 1-0 with a 4.08 ERA in six career games (two starts) against the Orioles. Matt Wieters is 3-for-7 with two homers against Phelps, who has struck out 69 in 74 innings.
McFarland makes his first major-league start after 18 appearances as a reliever. The 24-year-old gave up five runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings in his last outing against Toronto on Sunday and has 36 strikeouts over 41 1/3 innings. McFarland has allowed one hit in two career innings with three strikeouts against the Yankees, who are batting .233 against left-handers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore went 75-1 when leading after eight innings in 2012 and is 36-6 in the same situation this season.
2. Yankees manager Joe Girardi needs one victory to reach 600 in his career.
3. The teams have split six games so far this season and play another three-game set July 5-7 in New York.
PREDICTION: Orioles 5, Yankees 4