Rockies at Yankees
The New York Yankees can clinch their sixth straight series win at home and improve to 14-0-1 in their last 15 sets in the Bronx with a win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. The Yankees opened the three-game series with an 8-2 victory Friday night to improve to 37-16 at home and move 30 games over .500 (63-33) for the first time this year.
Edwin Encarnacion's fourth home run in a five-game span was a grand slam in the third inning that gave New York the lead for good as it opened up a season-high nine-game advantage in the American League East. DJ LeMahieu added a pair of singles and two RBIs while extending his hitting streak to six games for the Yankees, who won Friday while manager Aaron Boone served a one-game suspension for a tirade he unleased on an umpire Thursday. The Rockies have lost five in a row and 12 of their last 14 to fall 4 1/2 games behind the second wild-card spot in the National League. They'll hope to see struggling right-hander Anthony Senzatela turn it around Saturday against Masahiro Tanaka for the Yankees.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Antonio Senzatela (8-6, 5.79 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (6-5, 3.81)
Senzatela went 4-1 with a 3.44 ERA in June but has reversed course with two dismal outings to begin July. He first gave up seven runs over 4 1/3 innings at Arizona before allowing a season high-tying eight in 5 1/3 frames against Cincinnati in a game he actually won. The 24-year-old has a 4.95 ERA in nine career interleague games and will be facing the Yankees for the first time.
Tanaka emerged from the All-Star break to post a quality start and a win in a matchup with Toronto on Sunday. He limited the Blue Jays to two runs - both on solo homers - in six innings while improving to 5-2 with a 2.86 ERA at home. The 30-year-old will be seeing Colorado for the first time as he attempts to improve upon an 8-8 career interleague record.
WALK-OFFS
1. LeMahieu has hit safely in 24 of his last 26 games.
2. Rockies 2B Ryan McMahon slugged a solo homer Friday and has seven RBIs over his last six games.
3. Yankees 2B-SS Gleyber Torres is batting .383 in 12 games against National League opponents this year.