Yankees at Orioles
Masahiro Tanaka has not lost in 6 1/2 weeks and will attempt to win his fifth straight decision when the New York Yankees resume their three-game series at the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon. The Japanese right-hander will get a chance to avenge one of his two defeats this season for the Yankees, who are a season-high 19 games over .500.
Aaron Judge slammed his 16th homer as New York won its third straight and moved within a half-game of first-place Boston in the American League East with a 4-1 victory in the series opener. Catcher Austin Romine matched Gleyber Torres by collecting two hits and driving in a run to give him nine RBIs in his last six games while extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Baltimore managed just a solo home run by Manny Machado among five hits in tumbling to its sixth consectuve setback. The Orioles have scored only seven runs during their current slide and have been held to three runs or fewer in 14 of their last 16 games.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (6-2, 4.62 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (3-4, 4.31)
Tanaka improved to 4-0 over his last seven starts by limiting the Los Angeles Angels to one run on three hits while striking out eight over six innings on Sunday. It marked the first time he allowed fewer than three runs in five starts but he continues to struggle with the long ball, giving up six homers in his last four turns. Tanaka has stifled Machado and Chris Davis, who are a combined 9-for-50 against him.
Gausman has been one of the few reliable options for the Orioles but he was pelted for seven runs on six hits over a season-low 2 2/3 innings in a loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday. He has allowed 34 hits in 21 innings over his last four turns but has yielded two runs or fewer in seven of his 11 starts. Judge is 7-for-14 with three homers off Gausman, who is 7-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 23 career appearances against New York.
WALK-OFFS
1. Judge has 13 homers in 30 games versus Baltimore and has hit safely in all five games this season.
2. Orioles LHP Zach Britton (Achilles) pitched a perfect inning at Double-A Bowie on Friday night.
3. Yankees LF Brett Gardner has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games.