Orioles at Yankees (Game 2)
The New York Yankees are running away with the American League East in part because of their success this season against the team at the bottom of the division - the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees will try to continue setting records when they host the Orioles in a doubleheader on Monday.
New York crushed the Orioles by a combined 32-12 in a three-game series at Baltimore last week and set a record with 16 home runs in the three-game set. The Yankees own 52 home runs in the first 15 games against the Orioles, breaking the major league record of 48 set by the 1956 Yankees against the Kansas City Athletics, and have seen 11 different players record multiple-homer games in the season series, helping them open an 8 1/2-game lead in the East over the Tampa Bay Rays. Baltimore's pitching staff bottomed out during a 23-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Saturday before the team recovered with a come-from-behind 8-7 triumph in the series finale, capped by Rio Ruiz's walk-off homer. The Orioles needed to use five relievers to pull off the win on Sunday and will go into Monday's doubleheader with a heavily-taxed bullpen behind day game starter Gabriel Ynoa and a spot starter while the Yankees counter with James Paxton in the day game and an opener in the nightcap.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), WPIX (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles TBD vs. Yankees RH Chad Green (2-3, 4.82 ERA)
Baltimore will make a move on Monday to add a 26th man to the roster for the doubleheader, most likely a pitcher capable of working multiple innings. The Orioles bullpen was forced to absorb 12 innings over the weekend against Houston after an off day Thursday and finished Saturday's drubbing with outfielder Steve Wilkerson on the mound. The Baltimore staff leads the majors with 741 runs allowed.
Green has made 10 of his 40 appearances this season as an opener and is the most likely candidate to fill that role on Monday. The 28-year-old owns a 1.98 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings as a starter while posting a 6.00 ERA out of the bullpen. The Yankees also recalled right-hander Brady Lail and left-hander Joe Mantiply on Sunday, and will have both available out of the bullpen on Monday.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Yankees placed LHP Stephen Tarpley (elbow) on the 10-day injured list Sunday.
2. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis struck out four times on Sunday to push his season total to 118 in 256 at-bats.
3. New York RHP Dellin Betances (shoulder) is expected to throw in the bullpen on Monday.