AL East Matchup
The New York Yankees may have had their share of trouble against the Baltimore Orioles last season, but not when they faced Daniel Cabrera.
The AL East rivals meet for the first time this season as the Yankees (9-8) visit Camden Yards to face Cabrera and the Orioles (9-7) in the opener of a three-game set on Thursday.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made New York -137 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 10 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 56% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -137 (View MLB Bet Percentages). Bet this game.
New York only managed to split 18 meetings with Baltimore in 2007, but went 4-1 against Cabrera (0-0, 5.94 ERA). The right-hander went 1-3 with a 6.67 ERA in those outings, and Baltimore has lost 10 of his 13 outings against the Yankees.
Jorge Posada, who has served as the Yankees’ designated hitter the last two games due to a shoulder injury and likely won’t catch Friday, went 5-for-10 against Cabrera in 2007.
The Orioles have won all three of Cabrera’s starts this season, although he has hardly been effective. His best outing was his last one on Saturday when he yielded one run over 6 2-3 innings in a 3-2 win at Tampa Bay.
Although the Yankees may be able to score against Cabrera, they are hoping that starter Phil Hughes (0-2, 9.00) won’t give it back. He hasn’t been helping New York’s bullpen in his last two starts, getting pulled in the fourth inning of a 5-2 loss at Kansas City on April 8 and failing to get out of the third in Sunday’s 8-5 loss at Boston.
Hughes failed to retire the four batters he faced in the third inning Sunday and was charged with a career-high seven runs, six hits and his second straight loss.
"Obviously it’s not where we want him to be," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He’ll get better. He’ll get where he needs to be."
Hughes went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts against the Orioles last season, but this will be his first appearance at Camden Yards.
New York had its three-game winning streak snapped with a 7-5 loss to Boston on Thursday. The Yankees got a second straight poor start when Mike Mussina lasted only three innings and gave up five runs one night after Chien-Ming Wang lasted only four-plus innings.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is in fine form since returning from a strained left quadriceps muscle, going 8-for-17 with four runs scored. He missed six games due to the injury.
Because of Pope Benedict XVI’s appearance at Yankee Stadium this weekend, New York is beginning a 10-game road trip that will have had the Yankees play 18 of 20 games on the road by its end.
Baltimore avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox by rallying for a 6-5 win in 10 innings on Thursday. Melvin Mora’s RBI single in the ninth inning tied the game and Adam Jones’ RBI single in the 10th won it.
"When we tied the game, we knew we were going to win," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "That’s just the feeling that was in that dugout."
Orioles left fielder Luke Scott went 1-for-3 and is hitting .467 (14-for-30) at home. Scott, who played his previous three seasons with Houston, has never played against the Yankees.
