The New York Yankees have dominated the Baltimore Orioles this season and close out a short two-game series at Camden Yards tonight

New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles

New York captured a 4-1 victory last night in a wild 15-inning affair at Baltimore and has won all five meetings in the season series thus far.  The Yankees have won 13 of their last 16 games at Camden Yards and second baseman Robinson Cano has played a major part in that success.  The All-Star second baseman is hitting .514 with six home runs and 15 RBIs over that 16-game span, including the go-ahead, two-run double in the final inning.  “Tonight was fun,” said first baseman Mark Teixeira.  “We couldn’t scratch any out in the extra innings against their relievers, but finally, we got them.”  Wednesday night’s contest was the longest game in the Major Leagues this season.  New York is 16-13 versus right-handed starters this year.

Yankees starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia will make his team-high 10th start of the season and bring in a 3-3 record and 3.47 ERA.  The left-hander will be facing the Orioles for the 22nd time in his career, posting a 15-2 mark and 2.89 ERA.  Sabathia has been even more dominant in this series at Camden Yards, registering a 9-1 mark and 3.01 ERA, marking the best winning percentage in the ballpark’s history (minimum 10 games started).  He has compiled an even 2-2 record and 3.71 ERA in four road outings, giving up 30 hits in 26 2/3 innings of work.

Baltimore has dropped five in a row versus New York and eight of its last nine heading into the series finale.  The Orioles left the bases load, exhausted their entire relief corps and forced them to use Thursday’s originally scheduled starter.  “This is real tough, real tough to swallow, especially on the offensive side,” said outfielder Luke Scott.  The club stranded 15 baserunners and played its longest home game since a 17-inning contest on June 27, 2003.  Offensively, the team has collected 10 or more hits in seven of its last eight games, but it wasn’t enough to avoid dropping its record to 6-9 in series opening games.  Baltimore is 7-12 versus divisional opponents this year.

Orioles starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie will toe the rubber for the eighth time this year and fifth at home Thursday night, coming in with a 1-6 record and 3.98 ERA.  The right-hander is winless in four home starts, but has issued just three walks and struck out 15 in 24 frames.  Guthrie has received the worst run support of any starter in the American League (1.73 runs per game).  In 14 career starts against the Bronx Bombers, he is 3-9 with a 5.66 ERA and is mired in a seven-game losing streak against them.

Bettors will likely back the Yankees due to their 46-17 record in Sabathia’s last 63 starts, while the Orioles are 1-6 in their last seven home games versus a left-handed starter.