Seattle @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2015 ) NY Yankees 3, Seattle 1

While the New York Yankees surprised some by assuming the top spot in the American League East at the All-Star break, the Seattle Mariners were a first-half disappointment. The teams begin the second half of their seasons when they meet Friday at Yankee Stadium in the opener of a three-game set.

The Yankees won seven of their final 10 games before the break to open up a 3 1/2-game lead in the division, and they appear primed for a strong stretch run with the recent returns of center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and closer Andrew Miller. They also may get a nice boost from rookie second baseman Rob Refsnyder, who slugged his first career homer in an 8-6 win at Fenway Park on Sunday and figures to steal more time from struggling veteran Stephen Drew. Seattle has exchanged wins and losses each day of the month, capped by a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday that left it 7 1/2 games out in the AL West. The Mariners turn to breakout left-hander Mike Montgomery opposite New York righty Masahiro Tanaka in the opener.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT (Seattle), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Mike Montgomery (4-3, 2.29 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (5-3, 3.63)

Montgomery is coming off his worst start of the season after giving up five runs in five innings against the Angels last Friday. He surrendered a pair of homers in the setback after serving up only two in his first seven outings. The 26-year-old made his season debut against the Yankees on June 2, allowing a run and four hits in six frames.

Tanaka is 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA in seven starts since coming off the disabled list early last month. He allowed one earned run in a season-high 7 2/3 innings of a 6-2 win against Oakland on July 9, striking out six. Tanaka fanned nine Mariners in seven dominant frames at Seattle on June 3 and is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in two career meetings.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York All-Star LF Brett Gardner is 9-for-25 with a homer during a six-game hitting streak.

2. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano, who starred for nine years with the Yankees, is a career .311 hitter in the current Yankee Stadium.

3. Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez enters tied with Rafael Palmeiro for 25th on the all-time hits list with 3,020, three behind Hall of Famer Lou Brock.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Mariners 2