Indians at Yankees
The New York Yankees keep finding different ways to win and hope to make it a little easier on themselves when they host the Cleveland Indians on Saturday afternoon for the middle contest of their three-game series. The Yankees squandered two leads on Friday before scoring in the bottom of the ninth inning to post a 7-6 victory over the road-weary Indians, who played a lengthy doubleheader on Thursday.
Aaron Judge homered for the first time since April 24 and Gary Sanchez went deep for the third time in six games on Friday as New York won its fourth straight and improved to 13-1 over its last 14 contests. Sonny Gray will try to get on track when he takes the mound for the Yankees on Saturday while Cleveland counters with Trevor Bauer, who is off to a strong start. The Indians sit atop the Central Division despite having lost five of their last eight games but are getting their offense in gear, as they've scored 55 runs in their last six contests. Francisco Lindor recorded two more hits in Friday’s loss to extend his hitting streak to seven games, going 16-for-36 with eight RBIs during that stretch.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (2-2, 2.45 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Sonny Gray (1-2, 6.67)
Bauer recorded his fifth straight quality start last time out but settled for a no-decision after allowing two runs and four hits with 11 strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings versus Texas. The 27-year-old UCLA product won his previous start against the Chicago Cubs as he permitted one run and four hits while fanning eight over 6 2/3 frames, giving him 46 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings this year. Didi Gregorius is 5-for-16 with a homer against Bauer, who is 3-4 with a 4.20 ERA in eight career games versus the Yankees.
Gray matched his longest outing of the season on Monday, when he limited Houston to two runs and four hits over six innings but ended up with the loss. The 28-year-old Vanderbilt product is winless in four starts and has struggled with his control, issuing 19 walks in 27 frames this year. Brandon Guyer is 3-for-8 with two homers and Michael Brantley is 6-for-18 with a pair of doubles against Gray, who is 3-3 with a 3.38 ERA in eight career games versus Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland 3B Jose Ramirez has registered three hits in three of his last six contests - including the loss on Friday, when he homered for the second straight game.
2. New York rookie 2B Gleyber Torres belted his first major-league homer on Friday and is 15-for-45 with eight RBIs since being recalled from the minors.
3. An MRI showed no structural damage to Indians RHP Nick Goody’s right elbow, but he will be shut down for at least a week.