Orioles Seek To Extend Win Streak Against Division Leading Yankees
(AP) -- The New York Yankees' winning streak has come to an end, and the Baltimore Orioles have finally gotten a decent one going.
The clubs meet Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Camden Yards, where Ubaldo Jimenez has thus far put together an impressive season.
After completing a three-game sweep of Boston with Thursday's 6-5 win, Baltimore (29-30) has a shot at extending its season-best run to five games while getting back to .500 for the first time since being 12-12 on May 5. The Orioles have won six of seven while posting a 2.32 ERA.
Adam Jones homered for the fourth time in seven games and went 2 for 3 to boost his average to .419 in his last eight.
"Getting this little roll on, playing good baseball, it's just the main thing as long as you get in a little groove," said Manny Machado, who also homered and is 9 for his last 21. "It's a long season ahead of us, but hopefully we keep riding this wave."
The Orioles have also won nine of the last 12 meetings with the Yankees in Baltimore.
New York (33-26) saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end in Wednesday's 5-4, 11-inning loss to Washington.
The Yankees also lost closer Andrew Miller - perfect in 17 save chances - to a left forearm strain. He won't throw for 10 days to two weeks, and Dellin Betances will move into the ninth-inning role a game after the bullpen allowed a 4-2 lead to slip away. The Yankees had been 28-1 leading after seven innings.
"Everyone has to look forward to the challenge and try to get the job done," Betances said.
Jimenez started Baltimore's last loss - a 2-1 defeat in Cleveland on Saturday - and the right-hander somehow managed to dodge the decision and limit the Indians to a run after allowing six hits and issuing a season-high six walks. The good news for Baltimore is it hasn't been a trend. Jimenez (3-3, 3.02 ERA) totaled six walks in his previous five starts, and manager Buck Showalter saw it as an isolated incident.
"He's not an excuse maker, but he was just having trouble gripping the balls," Showalter told MLB's official website. "... It's just one of those days where it's windy, cool, slick."
Jimenez doesn't have a decision in his last four starts and is winless in five, but most of his success has come at home with a 3-1 record and 2.06 ERA in five starts.
Against the Yankees, however, he's 2-4 with a 5.50 ERA, and he walked 14 in three starts in the series last season. Garrett Jones (5 for 11) and Carlos Beltran (6 for 15 with two home runs) have hit Jimenez well. Chris Young is 7 for 43 with 17 strikeouts and might be left out of the lineup given his 5-for-50 overall slump. Mark Teixeira (3 for 21 with eight strikeouts) and Brett Gardner (2 for 14) have also struggled against him.
Michael Pineda is seeking his second three-start winning streak this season, and he should be fresh after the club elected to have him skip his last start to limit his work. Pineda (7-2, 3.33) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings of a 7-2 win in Seattle on June 1 and has a 2.13 ERA in the last two.
The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA in six starts against the Orioles, posting three straight victories with two coming this year behind 25 strikeouts in 13 1-3 innings. Much of that success has come against Chris Davis (1 for 11 with eight strikeouts), Travis Snider (0 for 9, five strikeouts), Delmon Young (1 for 8, five strikeouts), Caleb Joseph (1 for 7, six strikeouts) and Ryan Flaherty (0 for 6).
