New York @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2013 ) NY Yankees 2, Baltimore 4

The Baltimore Orioles try for their seventh straight home victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday in the second contest of a four-game series between the American League East rivals. The Orioles and Yankees actually have been reduced to AL wild-card contenders, with Baltimore nine games behind first-place Boston in the East and the Yankees another 1 1/2 behind. The Orioles are tied with the Indians, 1 1/2 games back of Tampa Bay in the tight battle for the final wild-card spot, and New York trails the Rays by three contests.

The Orioles scratched out a 4-2 victory Monday after Yankees manager Joe Girardi reportedly accused them of signaling their hitters with pitch locations. Baltimore skipper Buck Showalter began shouting at Girardi between the first and second innings, and the two were separated by umpires as the benches emptied behind them. Miguel Gonzalez snapped an eight-start winless streak (0-4) in his last outing and will oppose Ivan Nova, who is unbeaten in his last seven starts (4-0).

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MY9 (New York), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (8-4, 3.02 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (9-7, 3.98)

Nova improved to 5-2 with a 4.33 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) against Baltimore with a three-hitter in New York's 2-0 victory Aug. 31. The 26-year-old wasn't nearly as sharp in his last start, allowing three runs and five hits in four innings while throwing 96 pitches in the Yankees' 9-8 loss to Boston on Thursday. Nova, who had pitched at least six frames in his 10 previous outings, has handled Manny Machado (1-for-11) while Chris Davis has taken him deep twice in 21 at-bats.

Gonzalez won for the first time since July 20 as he yielded one run and four hits in seven innings of a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. The 29-year-old, who is 2-2 with a 3.93 ERA in six starts against the Yankees, compiled a 6.61 ERA during his winless streak - which included a scoreless inning of relief. The Yankees' roster is hitting .193 against Gonzalez, with Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson a combined 3-for-26 with six strikeouts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter did not perform any baseball duties Monday and his sore left ankle will be re-evaluated Tuesday, according to Girardi. Jeter is hitting .190 in only 17 games this season.

2. Baltimore 3B Machado hit his major league-leading 49th double Monday, which drove in the Orioles' fourth run.

3. Girardi has 555 victories as Yankees manager, one shy of tying Billy Martin for sixth all-time. Joe McCarthy leads with 1,460.

PREDICTION: Yankees 3, Orioles 2