Yankees at Orioles
Adam Jones looks to continue to feast on home cooking as the Baltimore Orioles play the rubber match of their three-game series against the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Jones, who went deep in the first inning and drove in two runs in Tuesday's 4-3 triumph, is 11-for-17 with four homers and nine RBIs over the first five contests of the Orioles' six-game homestand.
While Baltimore posted just its second victory in that stretch, New York had its modest two-game winning streak halted and fell for the fourth time in six contests. Mark Teixeira ripped a two-out RBI double in the sixth inning to extend his hitting streak to six games, during which he has recorded three homers and five RBIs. The Maryland native has gone deep among his two hits in eight career at-bats against Wednesday starter Bud Norris. Jacoby Ellsbury is 9-for-27 during his six-game hitting streak but just 2-for-13 lifetime versus Norris.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLBN, YES (New York), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 5.06 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Bud Norris (0-1, 24.00)
Daniel Nava's two-run single in the top of the sixth inning spoiled an otherwise solid debut by Eovaldi, who was spared the loss after the Yankees rallied in the ninth of a 6-5 loss to Boston in 19 innings on Friday. The 25-year-old, who allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 frames, will face Baltimore for the first time after spending each of his first four seasons in the National League with Miami and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Eovaldi is bidding for his first win in 10 starts, as he posted an 0-8 record with a 5.55 ERA in his last nine with the Marlins.
Norris' season debut left a great deal to be desired as he permitted eight runs on seven hits - including four doubles - before being relieved after three-plus innings in a 12-5 loss to Toronto on Friday. The 30-year-old won a career-best 15 games last season for the Orioles but struggled mightily in Grapefruit League action (9.26 ERA) prior to the setback to the Blue Jays. A positive for Norris has been his play versus the Yankees, winning all four of his career meetings while posting a 2.74 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York 3B Alex Rodriguez was limited to pinch-hitting duty on Tuesday but is expected to return to the lineup for the series finale.
2. Baltimore DH Chris Davis and 1B Steve Pearce have sputtered out of the blocks in this series, with the former going 0-for-7 with six strikeouts while the latter is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts.
3. The Yankees are 2-2 in one-run games this season.