Orioles at Yankees
The New York Yankees were on the verge of tumbling out of playoff contention after a dismal series in Baltimore last weekend, a sweep which ran their losing streak to five games. The Yankees have rebounded with a vengeance, winning a season-high six straight games, and can return the favor by completing a three-game sweep of the visiting Orioles in Sunday's finale. Consecutive one-run victories have enabled New York to leapfrog Baltimore into second place in the American League East.
The Orioles have lost four of their last five games and scored 14 runs in that span. They got off to a strong start in Saturday's loss when Chris Davis swatted his major league-leading 33rd home run - his sixth blast in his last eight games against the Yankees. The slugging first baseman has gone deep 13 times in the last 23 games overall to boost his season totals to 33 homers and 85 RBIs, matching the career highs he set in both categories a year ago.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Jason Hammel (7-5, 5.19 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (7-6, 2.95)
Hammel is seeking his first victory since May 27, going 0-3 during a six-start winless drought. He has allowed at least four earned runs in four of his last six outings and has been stung by the long ball, surrendering a total of 10 during the stretch. Hammel beat the Yankees on May 22, giving up two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings to improve to 3-3 with a 5.46 ERA in 16 appearances (10 starts) against them.
Kuroda was scheduled to start Friday's series opener but was pushed back two days due to soreness in his left hip. The injury appeared to hamper him in his last outing at Baltimore on June 30, when he coughed up three homers and allowed four runs in a 4-2 loss to the Orioles. Kuroda is 1-4 over his last eight starts - a slump that started when he was pounded by Baltimore for five runs in two-plus innings on May 22.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York has 17 hits in the first two games of the series and 15 have been singles.
2. Davis, who on Saturday was named as a starter for the All-Star Game, is 5-for-15 with two homers against Kuroda.
3. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera earned his 13th All-Star berth while teammate Robinson Cano and Orioles CF Adam Jones and SS J.J. Hardy were also named starters for the Midsummer Classic. Baltimore 3B Manny Machado was selected as a reserve.