Baltimore @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2011 ) Baltimore 3, NY Yankees 8
THE STORY: The New York Yankees had a rare stub of the toe against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, but they are poised to avenge the loss in a day-night doubleheader Saturday at Yankee Stadium. Such is the plight of Baltimore's pitching staff that the Orioles are calling up a pair of pitchers from the minor leagues to start the twin bill. Baltimore rode a strong seven-inning performance from Jeremy Guthrie on Friday night to beat the Yankees for the first time in seven tries this season. It was only the 13th win over New York in the past 53 meetings for the Orioles.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Zach Britton (6-7, 4.05 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Ivan Nova (8-4, 4.12).
Britton looked like an American League Rookie of the Year candidate after coming out of the gate with five wins in his first six starts. But after allowing more than three runs only once in his first 10 starts, he yielded at least four runs in six of his next eight outings before he was sent back to Double A. Britton pitched brilliantly against the Yankees on May 18, giving up one unearned run on six hits in seven innings. Nova also is returning from the minors. Unlike Britton, he was on a roll when he was demoted to make room for the return of Phil Hughes. Nova went 4-0 in his last five starts and allowed 12 runs during that span. His biggest problem during that stretch was surrendering five homers in his last five starts. Nova beat the Orioles in September 2010, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings.
ABOUT THE YANKEES (61-42): New York couldn’t do much against Baltimore’s Jeremy Guthrie in Friday’s series opener. Until a belated ninth-inning rally, Mark Teixeira provided the only offense with a solo home run. It was his team-leading 29th blast of the season and his third in four games. He has four homers and 10 RBIs in the first seven games of this 10-game homestand. Curtis Granderson, who is second to Teixeira with 28 homers, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts - the third straight game he has whiffed twice. Granderson had fanned 14 times in the last seven games.
ABOUT THE ORIOLES (42-60): Baltimore’s win Friday was only its 16th on the road this season - the worst in the major leagues. Mark Reynolds provided an early offensive spark with a two-run homer, his team-high 22nd of the season. It was the second homer in the past 20 games for Reynolds, who is batting only .217. Derrek Lee had a solo blast and RBI double. He is 7-for-14 with a pair of homers and seven RBIs in his last four games. Adam Jones went hitless in four at-bats, snapped a string of four straight two-hit games.
FINAL PITCH: The Yankees activated reliever Rafael Soriano from the disabled list Friday night. Soriano, who had 45 saves with Tampa Bay last season and was signed to a three-year, $35 million contract in the off-season, has not pitched since May 13. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said his plan is to work Soriano back slowly into the bullpen rotation.