Orioles at Yankees
Baltimore manager Buck Showalter goes for his 1,000th career victory when the Orioles visit the Yankees in Monday’s opener of a three-game series. Baltimore was blanked for eight innings Sunday before scoring five runs in the bottom of the ninth, with Wilson Betemit’s three-run homer providing the dramatic 5-2 win. New York defeated the Tigers on Sunday and third baseman Alex Rodriguez had two RBIs to pass Willie Mays on the all-time list.
The Yankees swept a three-game series from Baltimore in the second week of April, but the Orioles are playing solid baseball now. Baltimore (14-8) went 5-1 on a six-game homestand and is six games above .500 for the first time since July 20, 2005. Rodriguez’s career RBI count stands at 1,904 after moving past Mays into eighth place. Derek Jeter had two hits Sunday to raise his April count to a career-best 36, but outfielder Nick Swisher strained a hamstring and is expected to miss a couple games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Jason Hammel (3-0, 1.73 ERA) vs. Yankees Hiroki Kuroda (1-3, 4.38)
Hammel has been terrific in his four starts with Baltimore after being acquired from Colorado in the offseason. He has allowed two runs or fewer in each outing and has given up just 18 hits in 26 innings while limiting hitters to a .194 average. Hammel is 1-2 with a 7.45 ERA in 29 career innings against the Yankees. New York hitters have touched him up for a .322 average and eight homers.
Kuroda has pitched well twice and struggled twice in his first four outings since joining the Yankees. His only victory came when he blanked the Los Angeles Angels over eight innings on April 13. He lost to Texas in his last outing despite allowing just two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Kuroda has never pitched against the Orioles.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York has won 40 of the past 52 meetings.
2. Rodriguez is batting .400 with four homers and nine RBIs in 15 career at-bats against Hammel.
3. Orioles third baseman Mark Reynolds struck out nine times in 21 at-bats against Kuroda when both players were in the National League.