After getting swept in Toronto, the Orioles will now return home and take on the Yankees for a four-game set over the weekend.
The Orioles (37-90) are coming off of a 1-5 road trip and will try to snap a four-game losing streak in tonight’s series opener. They’ll also look to use an upcoming seven-game home stand to improve upon their 5-15 record in the month of August.
The Yankees (79-47) are missing a few key players at the moment, but still hold a four-game lead over Oakland for the top wild card spot in the American League. However, the injury-hit Yankees squad will have a hard time catching the Red Sox as they find themselves 9.5-games behind the division leaders.
Alex Cobb (4-15, 5.09 ERA) will take on CC Sabathia (7-4, 3.32 ERA) in tonight’s match-up.
Cobb dominated en route to a complete-game win over the Indians and went the distance having allowed just two runs on five hits. The Orioles’ in-form veteran hurler now owns a 2-4 record and an outstanding 2.14 ERA over his last seven starts. Over four starts this month, Cobb has gone 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA over 29 innings of work.
Sabathia took home his seventh win of the season after holding the Rangers to a single hit over six shutout innings versus the Rangers in his last start, and will look to do the same against the Orioles. The Yankees veteran righty has posted a 1-0 record and a 1.84 ERA over three starts in August.
The Orioles and Yankees will go-head-to-head in a double-header on Saturday, and neither squad has determined their rotation order as of yet. What we do know is that Andrew Cashner (4-11, 4.84 ERA) and JA Happ (14-6, 3.84 ERA) will take the mound in one of Saturday’s clashes.
Cashner took the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits over five innings during his last start in Toronto, and will look to bounce back against New York. He’s allowed two runs or less in six of his last nine contests and has recorded a 3.60 ERA over 19 innings during his last three starts combined.
Happ earned his fourth straight win after allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings against Toronto, and will be aiming to make it five in a row in Baltimore. Since being traded to the Bronx, the former Jays All-Star has gone 4-0 with a sublime 2.22 ERA over four starts.
Dylan Bundy (7-12, 5.31 ERA) will go up against Luis Severino (16-6, 3.28 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale.
Bundy was tagged by the Blue Jays during his last start and allowed seven runs on ten hits over just four innings. He’ll be looking to snap a nightmare-ish run of form in which he’s posted a 1-4 record and an 8.67 ERA over his last seven starts. Over four starts in August, he’s gone 0-3 with a 9.74 ERA.
Severino may have picked up his 16th win of the season after allowing two runs over five innings against Toronto during his last outing, but has been struggling as of late for the Bombers. The Yankees’ All-Star ace has gone 3-4 with a 7.02 ERA over his last eight contests.
That’s all for now, folks!
Here’s to ending the losing streak.
