New York @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2012 ) NY Yankees 4, Baltimore 5

Three games into the series and the seesaw battle has continued between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees. One thing is certain, the American League East will no longer be tied by the time the Orioles and Yankees finish up their four-game set at Camden Yards on Sunday. Baltimore fought back to level it again on Saturday, tightening up the AL wild card race in the process.

The Orioles, New York and the Oakland Athletics are separated by one-half game for the two wild card spots, with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels looming two games back and Detroit Tigers hanging around just off the pace. Baltimore has taken two of the first three against the Yankees thanks to the home run. After hitting six blasts in a 10-6 victory in Thursday’s opener, the Orioles left the yard three times in Saturday’s 5-4 triumph. Mark Reynolds has been toughest on Yankees pitching, totaling three homers in the series. The road could get harder for Baltimore without right fielder Nick Markakis, who suffered a broken thumb on Saturday and will be out six weeks.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, YES (New York), MASN (Baltimore)

PITCHING MACHUP: Yankees RH Freddy Garcia (7-6, 5.09 ERA) vs. Orioles LH Zach Britton (5-1, 4.15)

Garcia has not completed six innings in any of his last three starts and was reached for five runs on five hits - three homers - over 5 1/3 innings in a loss at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The right-hander has issued 10 walks in 14 1/3 innings over his last three turns. Garcia yielded three runs on nine hits in six innings to suffer a loss against Baltimore on July 31. He is 6-8 with a 4.34 ERA in 20 games - 18 starts - against Baltimore in his career.

Britton has been strong over his last four starts, going 4-0 with a 0.94 ERA. The left-hander worked seven scoreless innings at Toronto on Tuesday, striking out eight while surrendering four hits. The sinkerball specialist has not allowed a home run in any of his last four turns. Britton was not quite as sharp at New York on Aug. 1, when he was lit up for seven runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. Curtis Granderson homered off Britton in that start.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees RF Nick Swisher is 0-for-23 with nine strikeouts over his last six games.

2. New York 1B Mark Teixeira (calf) returned on Saturday after nearly two weeks but he came up just short in the ninth, getting called out on a close play at first that would have scored the tying run.

3. Reynolds has tied a franchise record with seven home runs against the Yankees this season. He had six against New York in 2011.