Orioles at Yankees
Rookie manager Aaron Boone didn't want to lose any sleep after watching the New York Yankees lose a 14-inning marathon and three players to injury Friday, so he decided to sleep at Yankee Stadium. Boone watched his tired club pull away for an 8-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, giving the Yankees a chance for a split of the four-game series on Sunday afternoon.
Brett Gardner, Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin had two RBIs apiece for New York, which was without three regulars in beating Baltimore for the first time this season. David Robertson, one of seven relievers to appear on Friday's game, turned in his fourth hitless outing in five appearances by striking out four of the five batters he faced Saturday. Orioles shortstop Manny Machado is 5-for-9 with two homers and four RBIs in the last two games but is 1-for-9 against left-hander Jordan Montgomery, the Yankees' scheduled starter for Sunday. Pedro Alvarez entered the series 0-for-7 on the season but followed Friday's game-winning grand slam with an RBI double Saturday.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Baltimore), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Mike Wright Jr. (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Yankees LH Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 1.80)
Wright pitched strictly in relief last year, making all 13 appearances out of the bullpen, but will try to build on a decent first start in his season debut. He allowed a first-inning, inside-the-park homer and wound up permitting three runs on four hits over five innings against World Series champion Houston. Wright lost his only career start against the Yankees, surrendering five runs over four innings.
The only blot on a strong opening start by Montgomery was his control as he walked four, but the 25-year-old yielded only one run on two hits over five innings. He saw plenty of the Orioles during his rookie season in 2017, making five starts and going 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA while allowing three home runs in 27 innings. Montgomery was 2-0 against Baltimore in three starts at Yankee Stadium, striking out 21 in 18 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Judge has at least one RBI in 14 consecutive home games, two shy of the league record held by Toronto's Joe Carter in 1994.
2. The Orioles placed OF Colby Rasmus on the 10-day disabled list with a left hip flexor strain.
3. New York put LHP CC Sabathia (hip) and 3B Brandon Drury (migraines) on the 10-day DL.