Yankees at Athletics
The New York Yankees hope to avoid their first three-game losing streak in nearly four weeks when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Thursday for the opener of a four-game series. New York began its seven-game California trip with its fifth straight win before dropping the final two contests against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Yankees, who haven't lost three in a row since May 18-20, owned a four-run lead after their first turn at-bat Wednesday - thanks in part to Gary Sanchez's fifth homer in six games - but went on to suffer a 7-5 loss. Oakland is kicking off an eight-game homestand after concluding a 1-5 road trip Wednesday with an 11-6 setback at Miami. The Athletics squandered an early four-run lead and went on to suffer their sixth loss in seven games overall. Ryon Healy was one of the team's few bright spots on the trek, going 8-for-23 with two homers and six RBIs over the final five contests.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), NBCSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH Jordan Montgomery (4-4, 3.55 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (2-2, 4.37)
Montgomery is coming off back-to-back victories during which he allowed two runs and eight hits over 13 innings. The 24-year-old rookie from South Carolina has given up only four earned runs over his last four outings, recording 18 strikeouts while issuing five walks in 24 frames, but is just 2-1 in that span. Montgomery, who lost two straight turns on the road before tossing six scoreless innings at Toronto on June 3, never has faced Oakland.
Gray's winless streak reached three starts Saturday, when he yielded five runs - two earned - and nine hits in six innings of a no-decision at Tampa Bay. The 27-year-old native of Tennessee fanned 10 in the outing, marking the second time this season he has hit double digits in strikeouts and giving him 47 in 47 1/3 frames this year. Gray is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA in four career starts against New York.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees LHP CC Sabathia has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring and is expected to land on the disabled list.
2. Oakland optioned 1B/OF Matt Olson to Triple-A Nashville to make room for RHP Daniel Gossett, who was tagged for seven runs over 3 1/3 innings in his major-league debut on Wednesday after having his contract purchased.
3. New York recalled Ronald Herrera from Double-A Trenton and optioned fellow RHP Ben Heller to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.