New York @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2014 ) NY Yankees 0, Baltimore 0
Michael Pineda makes his long-awaited return to the mound Wednesday when the New York Yankees conclude a rain-shortened road series against the Baltimore Orioles. Pineda, who has not pitched since April 23 due to a shoulder injury, returns to find the Yankees seven games behind the first-place Orioles in the American League East. New York is hanging around the wild-card race despite a three-game losing streak that matches the team's longest skid since a five-game slide from June 28 to July 2.
The latest loss for New York came in Monday's 11-3 defeat in the series opener, a game in which Chris Davis, Nelson Cruz and Jonathan Schoop all hit home runs for Baltimore. Tuesday's contest was postponed due to rain, causing both scheduled starters to have their outings pushed back to this weekend. The Orioles, winners of 11 of their last 15 games, will instead turn to Chris Tillman, who has not allowed more than three earned runs in a game since June 5.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, YES (New York), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (2-2, 1.83 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (9-5, 3.73)
Pineda was terrific in his first three starts of 2014, allowing a total of two runs in 18 innings before things went south April 23 against Boston. Pineda yielded two runs in 1 2/3 innings that day before getting ejected for having a foreign substance on his neck -- a violation that led to a 10-game suspension, during which he injured his shoulder in a simulated game. The 25-year-old Dominican made two rehabilitation starts this month and struck out 11 in 7 2/3 innings.
Tillman has a 2.40 ERA over his last 12 starts and is coming off a solid performance against St. Louis in which he gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He has made two starts against the Yankees during his hot streak, yielding three runs combined over 13 2/3 innings. Over his last three outings, Tillman has 19 strikeouts against only two walks.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter owns a .400 career average (8-for-20) against Tillman.
2. Baltimore has scored 36 runs over its last four games.
3. Orioles 3B Manny Machado will be re-evaluated Wednesday after spraining his right knee on Monday. The team is still deciding whether or not to place him on the disabled list.
PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Orioles 1