New York @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Oct 3, 2015 ) NY Yankees 3, Baltimore 4
The New York Yankees had two chances on Saturday to clinch home-field advantage in the American League wild-card game but failed both times. The Yankees will take their final shot when they try to avoid a three-game sweep ending the regular season at the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
New York (87-74) has dropped five of its last six games and was swept in a doubleheader on Saturday to keep things interesting heading into the finale. The Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels are still battling for the right to play the Yankees in that next week while keeping an eye on the top spot in the AL West. If New York and the Astros finish tied for the wild-card after Sunday’s games, then the Yankees would travel to Houston, which owns the tiebreaker, for the one-game AL playoff. The Orioles (80-81) are still playing for something as well and need a win to finish the season at .500 and in third place in the East.
TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (12-9, 4.24 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (10-11, 5.05)
Pineda is trying to bounce back from a disastrous outing and earn himself a prominent place in New York’s postseason plans. The Dominican Republic native was ripped for seven runs on as many hits – two homers – over six innings in a loss to Boston on Tuesday. Pineda had perhaps the best outing of his career against Baltimore on May 10, when he struck out 16 in seven innings, but is 0-1 in two starts against the Orioles since that gem.
Tillman needs a strong start to bring his ERA under 5.00 for the season and has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last three outings. The 27-year-old was held out of the win column despite yielding two runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings against Toronto on Monday – the first time he worked into the eighth inning since July 29. Tillman matched a season high with 10 hits allowed and surrendered four runs in 5 2/3 innings to suffer a loss at New York on May 7.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees SS Didi Gregorius is 2-for-17 over the last six games.
2. Baltimore 2B Jonathan Schoop (hand) is unlikely to play in the finale.
3. New York 2B Robert Refsnyder has hit safely in seven straight starts with a pair of doubles and a homer.
PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Orioles 1