Yankees at Reds
A high-octane offense has fueled the New York Yankees on the fast track to their best 30-game record since 2010. Winners of six in a row and 10 of their last 12 contests, the visiting Yankees look to complete a sweep of their abbreviated two-game interleague series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.
Brett Gardner belted his sixth homer in nine outings with a two-run shot in Monday's 10-4 triumph, extending his hitting streak to 11 games in the process. The 33-year-old is 17-for-49 during that run for New York, which has erupted for 48 of its American League-best 177 runs during its last six contests while also adding to its AL-leading total in home runs (50). Cincinnati's Joey Votto hasn't been shy at the plate either, belting a two-run homer in the series opener to increase his totals in hits (19), RBIs (20) and runs scored (16) in his last 15 games. Billy Hamilton (10-for-27, seven RBIs, 10 runs) and Zack Cozart (9-for-22, nine runs) are riding six-game hitting streaks for the Reds, who fell out of first place in the National League Central after dropping just their second contest in nine outings.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2-1, 5.45 ERA) vs. Reds RH Tim Adleman (1-1, 4.22)
Sabathia has answered three strong starts to open the season with three that have many in New York wondering just how much more the 36-year-old has left in the tank. Sabathia yielded five homers and 17 runs en route to posting a 10.43 ERA over his last three outings, including six runs and four walks in four innings of a no-decision versus Toronto on Wednesday. The California native has been bailed out by his own offense, which erupted for 22 runs in his last two trips to the mound.
Adleman has also been victimized by home runs this season with five balls leaving the yard in his first three outings, including two in a disastrous start versus St. Louis on April 28. The 29-year-old New York native rebounded after setting career highs with five earned runs and eight hits allowed against the Cardinals with an impressive effort on Thursday. Adleman kept the ball in the park and permitted just two runs in six innings of a 4-2 triumph over Pittsburgh.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York has scored at least eight runs in a majors-best 11 games this season.
2. Cincinnati 3B Eugenio Suarez is 8-for-23 with two homers, nine RBIs and four runs scored in his last six contests.
3. Yankees RF Aaron Hicks is 12-for-28 with two homers, seven RBIs and nine runs scored in his last six games.