New York @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2014 ) NY Yankees 0, Baltimore 5
The Baltimore Orioles are down another key member of their infield, but continue to run away with the American League East. The Orioles will aim for their seventh straight victory when they host the New York Yankees in the third of a four-game series on Saturday. Baltimore learned early Friday that slugger Chris Davis, who had already moved from first to third to cover for the loss of injured Manny Machado, would be gone 25 games after a positive test for amphetamines.
The Orioles lost starting catcher Matt Wieters earlier in the year and are down to J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop as the lone starters left in the infield, though Hardy has been battling back trouble of late. The Yankees have injuries of their own to deal with and their season-long hitting issues manifested in one run over 20 innings in Thursday’s doubleheader. Those two setbacks dropped New York five games back of Kansas City for the second AL wild card while Baltimore’s magic number to clinch the AL East is down to five.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FOX.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Shane Greene (4-3, 3.57 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (9-7, 3.22)
Greene was lit up for six runs on as many hits against Boston on Sept. 2, and suffered a second straight loss on Sunday despite surrendering only two unearned runs in five innings. The rookie issued three walks in each of those last two turns and has completed seven innings once in his last five outings. Greene went 7 1/3 innings at Baltimore on July 12, striking out nine and scattering four hits without allowing a run.
Gonzalez has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts and nine of his last 10. The Mexico native did not allow a run in either of his last two outings and scattered six hits over 6 1/3 innings to pick up his third straight win on Monday against Boston. Gonzalez went eight innings versus New York on July 11, allowing two runs and six hits while striking out five without being involved in the decision of a 3-2 win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter is hitless in his last four games and 1-for-21 over his last six contests.
2. Baltimore LF Alejandro De Aza is 13-for-33 and has hit safely in all eight games since joining the team in a trade from the Chicago White Sox.
3. New York batters struck out 25 times in 20 innings on Friday.
PREDICTION: Orioles 5, Yankees 2