Orioles at Yankees
It took more than five hours, but the Baltimore Orioles were able to put together their first winning streak of the season Friday night in New York. The Orioles will try to claim their third straight over the Yankees when the teams continue their four-game series in the Bronx on Saturday.
After opening the series with a 5-2 triumph to snap a five-game slide, Baltimore utilized a grand slam by Pedro Alvarez in the top of the 14th inning to outlast New York - which saw four players leave the game due to illness or injury - on Friday. The dramatic blast by Alvarez was the fourth homer of the game for the Orioles - two by Manny Machado - and was their only hit in 10 tries with runners in scoring position. Didi Gregorius slugged his third home run in the past four games for the Yankees, who have scored five runs in 23 innings in the series after producing 18 in 16 offensive frames in a two-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays to begin the homestand. New York will hope for some length out of right-hander Sonny Gray on Saturday after seeing Friday's starter, CC Sabathia, leave with hip soreness following the fourth inning and then using seven relievers.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Baltimore), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (0-1, 9.00 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Sonny Gray (0-0, 2.25)
Tillman's miserable 2017 campaign spilled into his season debut when he gave up four runs on seven hits and four walks in four innings of a loss to Houston on Monday. The 29-year-old gave up 14 runs in four innings over two starts against the Yankees early last season and owns a 5.54 ERA in 22 career encounters (21 starts). Gregorius is 11-for-20 with a home run, a triple and five doubles against Tillman.
Gray gave up seven hits and three walks in just four innings at Toronto on Sunday but managed to limit the damage to one run. The Orioles got to Gray for five runs in four innings at Yankee Stadium last September, and the one-time All-Star has a 5.30 ERA in six starts in the Bronx. The 28-year-old will be careful with Tim Beckham, who is 6-for-13 with a pair of homers against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Machado had yet to produce an RBI in his first seven games before his two solo blasts off Sabathia.
2. Yankees C Gary Sanchez, who is 2-for-32 on the season, left Friday's game with a calf injury, while 3B Brandon Drury (migraine) and IF Tyler Wade (flu-like symptoms) also left the game.
3. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis homered in two at-bats Friday after opening the season with two singles in 25 at-bats.