Orioles at Yankees
The New York Yankees bid to keep their focus on the immediate task at hand on Tuesday when they wrap up their homestand with the opener of an abbreviated two-game series against the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees (67-37), who will begin a four-game set at rival Boston on Thursday, head into their series with the Orioles (32-74) after scoring 23 runs en route to taking three of four from Kansas City.
Aaron Hicks improved to 7-for-10 with four runs scored in the series after belting a two-run homer and falling a triple shy of the cycle in Sunday's 6-3 win over the Royals. The 28-year-old is 7-for-21 against Baltimore this season and fellow outfielder Brett Gardner is 13-for-41 with six extra-base hits (five doubles, one homer) versus the Orioles. While New York has aspirations of keeping pace with the red-hot Red Sox, cellar-dwelling Baltimore has won three of four games in the Bronx this year and even vented some frustration for its lost season by erupting for 37 runs en route to winning three straight against Tampa Bay over the weekend. Adam Jones, who is 11-for-30 versus Tuesday starter Masahiro Tanaka, had three hits during Sunday's 11-5 victory and is batting .417 during a nine-game hitting streak.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Yefry Ramirez (1-3, 3.49 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (8-2, 4.09)
Ramirez heads into a tilt with his former organization with a bit of momentum after posting his first major-league win on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Dominican, who was acquired from the Yankees for international signing bonus money last summer, allowed three solo homers on four hits with six strikeouts over five innings of a 7-6 triumph over Boston. Ramirez struggled against the Yankees in his last encounter on July 9, permitting four runs on nine hits over four frames to pick up the loss.
Tanaka improved to 6-0 with a 3.47 ERA in his last 12 starts on Tuesday after scattering three hits and striking out nine in a complete-game 4-0 win over Tampa Bay. The 29-year-old owns a 2.29 ERA in three starts (19 2/3 innings), although he permitted three runs across 4 1/3 innings of no-decision versus Baltimore earlier this month. Tanaka picked up the win against the Orioles on June 2 despite surrendering three homers and four runs total in 5 1/3 frames of an 8-5 triumph.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore 2B Jonathan Schoop, who was named the American League Player of the Week on Monday, has launched seven homers in his past nine games.
2. New York 2B Gleyber Torres is just 3-for-16 with five strikeouts since returning from the disabled list.
3. Orioles 1B Chris Davis, who is just 5-for-27 versus the Yankees this season, had three homers, five RBIs and eight runs scored in the series against the Rays.