Astros at Yankees (Game 1)
Rain forced the New York Yankees to turn Derek Jeter Night into an all-day baseball extravaganza, as the squad will honor one of their all-time greats in the midst of a doubleheader against the visiting Houston Astros on Sunday. Jeter, the franchise's hit king and a five-time World Series champion, will have his No. 2 retired and a plaque placed in his honor on Monument Park prior to the nightcap.
Before that, the teams will play the makeup game from Saturday's postponement, as the Yankees try to slow down an Astros squad that has won five in a row after two straight victories to open the series. Former New York catcher Brian McCann slugged a three-run homer to lead the way in Friday's 5-1 win, which marked the sixth consecutive game in which MLB-leading Houston had held an opponent to three runs or fewer. The Yankees have dropped three in a row following their dominant 20-5 stretch. The twinbill is a single-admission event and the Jeter ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7:35 p.m., with the second game to follow.
TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports Southwest (Houston), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Mike Fiers (1-1, 5.64 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Luis Severino (2-2, 3.40)
Fiers entered Friday tied for the major-league lead with 14 home runs allowed, including two in his first win of the year Sunday at the Los Angeles Angels. He was reached for three runs on four hits and four walks in five innings in that victory while striking out a season-low one batter. The 31-year-old gave up five runs and a pair of homers in five innings in his only start at Yankee Stadium and Jacoby Ellsbury has two doubles in three at-bats versus Fiers.
Severino rebounded from a rocky effort against Toronto on May 1 with a dominant outing at Wrigley Field last Sunday, limiting the Chicago Cubs to a run while striking out nine in seven innings. He has 45 strikeouts and seven walks in 39 2/3 innings overall but has had some issues keeping the ball in the park, allowing five home runs over his last three home starts. The 23-year-old has just two innings of relief in his career against Houston.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston's 25-11 record is its best ever after 36 games.
2. Astros CF George Springer has an 11-game hitting streak, although he has just one hit in each of the last seven affairs.
3. Yankees closer LH Aroldis Chapman allowed four runs on six hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings over his last two appearances.