Royals at Yankees
The New York Yankees will try to rebound from a stinging loss and keep their current hot stretch going when they open a four-game series against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Monday night. The Yankees were two outs away from a season-high seventh consecutive victory Sunday when future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera surrendered a two-run homer in a 2-1 home loss to Baltimore. New York swept the Royals in Kansas City in May and has won the last five meetings between the teams.
The span of six wins in seven games notwithstanding, this year's edition of the injury-riddled Yankees is not your father's Bronx Bombers. They have not homered in five straight games - marking the second time that has happened this year and only the third time it has occurred since 2000. A lack of power has also been an issue for the Royals, who rank second-to-last in the majors with 57 home runs despite going deep 14 times over the past nine games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Kansas City, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (7-6, 4.29 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Phil Hughes (4-7, 4.55)
Guthrie will be trying to end a dry spell that has seen him go 0-3 in his last four starts and surrender 19 runs over 22 innings in that span. He deserved a better fate last time out when left fielder Alex Gordon couldn't corral a fly ball that wound up as an inside-the-park, three-run homer. Guthrie has struggled against the Yankees, posting a 4-9 record and 5.15 ERA in 17 appearances (15 starts).
Hughes' roller-coaster season is trending upward after he gave up one run in seven innings to beat Minnesota his last time out and halt a three-start losing streak. He also pitched well in defeat in his previous outing, matching his season high with eight innings and giving up two runs against Texas. Hughes improved to 5-1 lifetime against Kansas City despite giving up six runs in 5 2/3 innings on May 10.
WALK-OFFS
1. Hughes' won-loss record against the Royals is a bit misleading: He also has a 6.10 ERA and 1.51 WHIP against them.
2. Royals LF Alex Gordon is 6-for-16 against Hughes.
3. Yankees SS Derek Jeter went 1-for-2 with a run and two walks Sunday in his second rehab game at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.