Baltimore @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2013 ) Baltimore 0, NY Yankees 2

The Baltimore Orioles had a chance to take a bite out of their playoff deficit at the expense of a pair of American League East teams. Instead, the Orioles will try to avoid a fifth loss in six games and a three-game sweep on Sunday when they visit the New York Yankees. The Yankees’ victories in the first two games of the series have vaulted them a half-game ahead of the Orioles and closer to the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics in the wild card spots.

New York outslugged Baltimore on Friday and leaned on Ivan Nova in a 2-0 shutout on Saturday to lock up its ninth victory in 13 games. The Orioles are enduring a brutal stretch against playoff contenders Tampa Bay, Oakland, Boston and New York before wrapping up at Cleveland next week. Baltimore is one of the better hitting teams in the majors but is slumping to an average of 2.6 runs in the last five games.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, TBS, MASN (Baltimore), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (7-7, 3.76 ERA) vs. Yankees LH Andy Pettitte (10-9, 4.05)

Chen is 1-4 over his last five starts and was lit up for eight runs on as many hits in 3 2/3 innings at Boston on Tuesday. The Taiwan native is having some trouble keeping the ball in the park as he has permitted six home runs in his last three turns. Chen lost at New York on April 14 and is 1-3 with a 5.10 ERA in five career starts against the Yankees.

Pettitte is looking for a fourth straight quality start and is coming off one of his best outings of the season - seven scoreless innings at Toronto on Tuesday. The 41-year-old struggled through 6 2/3 innings against Baltimore on July 6 but still ended up with the win. He is 28-6 with a 3.53 ERA against the Orioles in his career.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez (flu-like symptoms) was scratched on Saturday and is day-to-day.

2. Baltimore OF/1B Mike Morse, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners on Friday, is expected to get his first start in the series finale.

3. New York SS Derek Jeter is 3-for-19 in five games since returning from his latest stint on the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Orioles 4