Yankees at Orioles
The New York Yankees are riding high with victories in 10 of their last 11 completed series to remain right in the thick of the race for first place in the American League East. The Yankees (35-17) will take their show on the road Thursday as they begin a season-high 11-game trek with the opener a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles (17-39), who won three of four from New York last month.
Aaron Judge collected two hits and a run scored in back-to-back outings for the Yankees, who exacted a small measure of revenge against Houston following the 2017 AL Championship Series by taking five of seven meetings this season. The 26-year-old slugger is 1-for-5 with a homer against Thursday starter Andrew Cashner after collecting five hits - including a blast - to go along with four RBIs and three runs scored against Baltimore from April 5-8. The Orioles' beleaguered offense continues to be stymied, as the club saw its losing skid extend to five games after being shut out for the second time in three contests following Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Washington. Manny Machado had a double off Max Scherzer to push his hitting streak to five games heading into a tilt with the Yankees, against whom he went 7-for-19 with two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored in last month's series
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Sonny Gray (3-4, 5.98 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Andrew Cashner (2-6, 5.07)
Gray answered a sterling performance with a less-than-desirable one, as he followed a one-run effort over eight innings in a 10-1 romp at Kansas City on May 20 by allowing five runs in 3 2/3 frames six days later in an 11-4 setback versus the Los Angeles Angels. The 28-year-old issued at least three free passes for the fifth time in his last seven starts to give him a staggering 28 walks in 10 starts (49 2/3 innings). Gray improved to 3-4 in his career against Baltimore after recording a quality start in an 8-3 win on April 7.
Like Gray, Cashner surrendered five runs in his last outing on Saturday as he was blitzed by Tampa Bay to fall to 1-5 in his last eight starts. The 31-year-old permitted season highs in hits (11) and walks (four) against the Rays while limping through five innings. Cashner pitched significantly better in his last appearance against the Yankees on April 5, improving to 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA in four career appearances after yielding one run on two hits in six frames of a 5-2 win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore CF Adam Jones is 11-for-26 with a homer and two RBIs in his last six games.
2. New York is just 11-9 versus AL East foes and 24-8 against the rest of the major league teams.
3. Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop has struck out at least once in each of the last 13 games, including three times on Wednesday.