New York @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2012 ) NY Yankees 2, Seattle 4
The New York Yankees wrap up a disappointing road trip Wednesday afternoon without Alex Rodriguez, who will miss the rubber contest of their three-game series against the Seattle Mariners - and much more - with a fractured left hand. Rodriguez was hit by a pitch from Felix Hernandez in Tuesday's 4-2 loss and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list. A timetable for his return has yet to be announced.
Rodriguez was the third Yankee to be hit by a pitch from Hernandez, who won his fifth consecutive decision. The victory evened Seattle's record at 1-1 on its 10-game homestand. The Mariners had lost five of their previous six home games. New York enters Wednesday with a 1-5 mark on its seven-game road trip. The Yankees, who lead the major leagues with 58 wins, still own a seven-game lead over Baltimore in the American League East.
TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Root Sports (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (10-4, 4.10 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (1-2, 4.86)
Nova has won just one of his last six starts despite allowing three earned runs or less five times. The 25-year-old settled for a no-decision at Oakland on Saturday after yielding two runs over 6 2/3 innings. Nova, who is 7-1 with a 3.30 ERA in 11 road outings this season, has surrendered five runs over 11 frames in two career starts against the Mariners.
Iwakuma will be making his fourth straight start following 14 relief appearances to begin his major-league career. The 31-year-old had his longest outing at Tampa Bay on Saturday, when he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. Iwakuma has yielded seven runs over 10 frames while going 0-1 in two starts at home.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rodriguez struck out for the 2,000th time in his career in the sixth inning Tuesday.
2. Mariners 1B Mike Carp, who had been on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, went 0-for-3 in his first game since June 10.
3. New York OF Ichiro Suzuki is 2-for-7 with a stolen base in two games since being acquired from Seattle.