After capping off a great week at home by taking two of three versus the visiting Tampa Bay Rays, the Orioles will now look to continue their winning ways in the Bronx this weekend against the Yankees.
This weekend will feature a three-game clash for first place in the early season standings, and both clubs have been in great form to kick off the campaign.
The first-place Orioles (14-6) Have put together an excellent first month of the season and remain undefeated in series play this year with a 6-1-0 record. They also boast a seriously impressive 12-5 record versus their AL East rivals going into New York City.
The second-place Yankees (13-7) have continued their red-hot run of form by taking both games in Boston during a rain-shortened set, and now own a stellar 12-3 clip over their last 15 games. The Yanks also boast an MLB-best 8-1 record at home and an MLB-best +35 run differential as they prepare to host the Orioles.
Will be see a shuffle in the standings come Monday, or will the O’s find themselves a couple games clear of second place going into Boston? Stay Tuned!
Probables
Game One
Kevin Gausman (1-2, 7.50 ERA) will take on CC Sabathia (2-1, 2.70 ERA) in the series opener tonight.
Gausman will be looking to get his season back on track after recording a woeful 14.63 ERA over his last two outings. The O’s 26-year-old fireballer has just seemed off this season, as opponents have recorded .330 average against him. He’s also pitched 5 1/3 innings or less in four of his five starts. The good news? He’s racked up a 6-3 record and a 2.24 ERA over 12 career starts versus the Yankees.
Sabathia is coming off his worst start of the season versus Pittsburgh in which he allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings. In his three starts prior to that, the six-time All-Star had allowed just three runs over 18 1/3 innings.
Game Two
Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0, 5.95 ERA) will get the nod against Michael Pineda (2-1, 3.86 ERA) on Saturday.
Believe it or not, the Orioles are 4-0 this season when Jimenez takes the mound. This is despite the fact that he’s pitched 4 1/3 innings or less in three of his four outings. In those three starts, Jimenez owns a 9.75 ERA, and he threw a 7 2/3 inning shutout in the other one. Will the ”Good Ubaldo” or ”Bad Ubaldo” show up this weekend? Who knows?
Pineda has gotten off to a nice start this season. He’s gone seven-plus innings while giving up two runs or less twice already and has racked up 29 Ks to just three walks over 23 1/3 innings. His only downfall is that he’s allowed a long ball in each of his four starts this month.
Game Three
Wade Miley (1-1, 2.08 ERA) will take the mound versus rookie southpaw Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 3.78 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.
Simply put, Miley has been sensational for the Birds this month. He’s allowed two runs or less in three of his four outings and has allowed five hits or less in all of them. Over his last three starts, Miley owns a stellar 2.57 ERA while racking up 27 K’s over 21 innings. Lastly, he’s went six-plus innings while recording eight-plus strikeouts in three straight. Yeah, he’s on fire.
Montgomery, 24, has been proving that he’s worth the hype in the early goings this season, and will be looking for his third straight quality start versus the O’s.
Notes
– J.J. Hardy may be in the middle of a 1-for-18 slump, but he’s a career .296 hitter versus Sabathia and has tagged Pineda with a career .455 average, three homers and four RBI. Look for him to break out this weekend.
– Adam Jones may be in for a good weekend as well. He owns a career line of a .272 average, five homers and 15 RBI versus Sabathia and a .344 average to go along with two homers and six RBI versus Pineda.
– Jonathan Schoop, who has been the O’s offensive MVP in the early stages of the season, has posted a .227 career average against Sabathia and a .176 average versus Pineda. Something tells me that they won’t have the same luck in slowing down Schoop this time around.
– Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro ranks second in the AL with a stellar .346 average to go along with four homers and 14 RBI.
– Yankees Right Fielder Aaron Judge is hitting .269 with a joint-league leading seven homers and 15 RBI.
That’s it for now, Orioles nation! Enjoy the series!
