Yankees at Mariners
The New York Yankees aim to finish their huge 11-game road trip with a winning record when they visit the Seattle Mariners on Sunday afternoon for the last of four contests. The Yankees are 5-5 on their trek after suffering a 6-5 setback in 10 innings on Saturday for just their second loss in the last 14 games at Safeco Field, despite dynamic rookie Aaron Judge’s major league-leading 32nd homer.
New York, which holds one of the two wild-card spots in the American League, allowed just two runs in winning the first two contests of the series and shortstop Didi Gregorius is 10-for-17 during a five-game hitting streak. The Yankees send Luis Cessa to the mound for the finale against Seattle’s veteran righty Yovani Gallardo in a battle of Mexican pitchers. The Mariners hope to build off Saturday’s victory as they try to stay in the race for a wild-card spot, trailing New York and Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games. Nelson Cruz recorded his AL-leading 75th RBI with a single in the 10th to end it Saturday while rookie Ben Gamel has hit safely in nine consecutive contests, going 12-for-39 in that stretch, and scored the winning run.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Cessa (0-3, 4.61 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Yovani Gallardo (4-7, 5.59)
Cessa is scheduled to make his fifth start of the season after allowing three runs on four hits and four walks over 3 2/3 innings of a no-decision Tuesday at Minnesota. The 25-year-old has not gone past five innings in any of his four starts in 2017, but blanked Toronto over 4 2/3 frames of relief July 4. Cessa faces Seattle for the first time and is 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 10 career road appearances.
Gallardo returns to the rotation after permitting one run over 11 1/3 innings of relief, gaining the win in his last outing, and is three strikeouts from 1,500 for his career. The 31-year-old gave up five runs over five innings in his last start to lose at Texas on June 17. Matt Holliday is batting .343 with four homers versus Gallardo, who is 2-3 with a 6.47 ERA in six career contests against the Yankees.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle 1B Danny Valencia is 20-for-49 in his last 13 games at Safeco Field after going 1-for-4 on Saturday.
2. New York LF Brett Gardner boasts a five-game hitting streak, going 7-for-24 during the stretch.
3. Newly-acquired RHP David Phelps became the 32nd player to pitch for the Mariners this season Saturday, matching a club record (2016).