Yankees at Cubs
The first installment of the New York Yankees’ highly anticipated visit to Wrigley Field provided plenty of drama, though not the kind the Chicago Cubs and their fans hoped to experience. The marquee interleague matchup continues Saturday with the second contest of the three-game series between division leaders.
The Yankees claimed a 3-2 win in Friday's opener on Brett Gardner’s three-run homer in the ninth inning, handing the Cubs their first loss this season when leading after eight. New York has won 17 of 22 since a 1-4 start to the season. The Cubs had won three consecutive contests before failing to close out the Yankees on Friday. Chicago is 1-3 in interleague play, while the Yankees are 5-2.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Brett Anderson (2-1, 6.23)
Montgomery has kept the Yankees in all four of his starts, allowing three runs or fewer each time out. The 24-year-old rookie has posted quality starts in two of his four outings but lasted only five innings Sunday against Baltimore, allowing three runs and three hits with seven strikeouts. Montgomery has been tough on hitters the first two times through the lineup, but opponents are hitting .471 against him the third time around.
Anderson has been boom-or-bust in his first five starts for the Cubs, allowing 13 earned runs in two turns and a total of two in his other three outings. The 29-year-old was hit hard Monday by Philadelphia, allowing seven runs while recording just four outs in awful weather conditions. Anderson is 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA in five career starts against the Yankees but has not faced them since 2011.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees’ active roster is a combined 2-for-28 against Anderson, with OF Jacoby Ellsbury going 1-for-14.
2. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant has reached base in 16 straight games, batting .413 with four homers over that stretch.
3. New York 2B Starlin Castro is 15-for-35 during his eight-game hitting streak while OF Aaron Judge is 13-for-25 with six homers during his seven-game run.