Baltimore @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 3, 2023 ) Baltimore 3, NY Yankees 6
In the one month since Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his toe, the New York Yankees have often seen their offense stall in key moments.
The opener of a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles was shaping up to be another of those nights until Harrison Bader delivered.
After Bader's tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth inning gave the Yankees a pulsating 6-3 win on Monday, New York hopes the momentum can continue on Tuesday afternoon when it hosts the Orioles in the second game of the series between American League East rivals.
"It was cool," Bader said. "The Bronx showed up tonight with the energy and we're right in the middle of the season, right in the thick of it. So to get a win for them is great."
The Yankees lead the season series 4-3 and each meeting has been decided by three runs or fewer.
New York is 12-13 since losing Judge but is also 8-5 over its past 13 games while starting to get more contributions. In addition to Bader's blast, rookie Anthony Volpe and Kyle Higashioka hit back-to-back homers on Monday. Giancarlo Stanton had two hits and Anthony Rizzo reached base for the 18th straight game as the Yankees overcame a three-run deficit.
"A lot of good things happened," New York manager Aaron Boone said. "Love when a lot of people contribute, have a hand in it, and that was one of those (Monday)."
Baltimore is 1-5 over its past six games and has scored 14 runs during that span.
Adley Rustchman had three hits Monday, but the Orioles went scoreless after the third despite getting 12 hits.
"We had 12 hits and only scored three runs," Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. "We had multiple opportunities to extend the lead a few times, and that's disappointing, but they just beat us with homers tonight."
The Orioles played without Austin Hays and rookie Jordan Westburg, who are both day-to-day. Hays missed Monday's game with a left hip contusion, while Westburg was held out due to a sore left hand.
Baltimore's Kyle Gibson (8-5, 4.66 ERA), who is coming off two of his worst starts of the season, will attempt to halt a three-game winless skid on Tuesday.
Gibson got his eighth win of the season on June 11 by allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings against Kansas City but is 0-2 with a 9.22 ERA in three outings since then.
Gibson's best outing of 2023 occurred on May 25 in New York when he allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings against the Yankees. The veteran right-hander is 2-6 with a 5.93 ERA in 11 career starts against New York.
Clarke Schmidt (3-6, 4.37) will attempt to win consecutive starts for the first time in his career after allowing three runs in 5 1/3 innings on Thursday against Oakland. He has allowed three runs or fewer in eight straight starts.
Schmidt is opposing Gibson for the second time this season after allowing one run in five innings back on May 25. Schmidt is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA in seven career appearances (two starts) against the Orioles.
--Field Level Media