The Baltimore Orioles open a four-game series against the visiting New York Yankees on Monday while dealing with issues involving closer Craig Kimbrel.
Meanwhile, the Yankees roll in after scoring 15 runs on consecutive days in lopsided wins over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Kimbrel blew his second consecutive save attempt on Sunday and left with a back issue after giving up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Oakland’s Kyle McCann in the ninth inning.
After Kimbrel threw five straight balls to start the inning, manager Brandon Hyde and the team trainer came out to check on him, but Kimbrel remained in the game. McCann fouled off three 3-2 fastballs before the homer.
After the game, Hyde said Kimbrel, who was being evaluated, had upper back tightness.
“It’s part of the game,” Hyde said. “Other guys are going to have to step up. We need to pitch well out of the bullpen. Just a next-guy-up type of mentality. I don’t know what the timetable is with Craig, if any at all. We’ll see.”
The Yankees scored seven runs in the sixth inning Sunday, during which Brewers manager Pat Murphy believed Aaron Judge should have been called for baserunner interference. New York rolled to a 15-5 win at Milwaukee.
Anthony Rizzo went 4-for-4 and hit his 300th career homer, Judge went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a solo home run, and Anthony Volpe added a three-run shot. All nine members of the starting lineup had at least one hit.
New York scored 30 runs on 37 hits in winning the final two games of the series.
“The offensive output these (past) two days has been nice and it’s awesome when we all click like that and we’re all in the same gear,” Rizzo said.
Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt (2-0, 3.55 ERA) opposes Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (3-1, 4.45) in the series opener.
Rodriguez struggled in his last start, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings and took the loss against the Angels on Tuesday. He walked one and struck out seven.
“I just caught too much of the plate tonight. I threw the ball down the middle with a lot of mistakes and those guys were ready for it,” Rodriguez said. “Really, it was just missing with the heater down the middle when trying to elevate to guys and bad slider command.”
In his first four starts, Rodriguez compiled a 2.63 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 24 innings. Rodriguez, 24, allowed three unearned runs in 6 1/3 innings in his only prior career start against New York.
Schmidt earned the win in his last start, going 5 1/3 innings and giving up four runs — three earned — against the Oakland Athletics. He cruised into the sixth inning before hitting a batter and allowing a double and a home run to end his night.
“Stuff-wise, nothing fell off,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Just a little bit of execution there and maybe some pitch selection.”
Schmidt has yet to complete six innings this season.
He is 3-2 with a 4.33 ERA in nine games, four starts, against the Orioles.
–Field Level Media
