Orioles-Yankees Preview - MLB

Baltimore (42-60) at New York (61-42)
After getting a rare victory over the New York Yankees, the Baltimore Orioles have two chances Saturday to get another.

The Orioles and Yankees play a doubleheader for the first time in nearly eight years, with New York trying to avoid its first three-game skid in nearly two months.
New York (61-42) went 6-0 against Baltimore (42-60) this year before a 4-2 loss Friday. Jeremy Guthrie(notes) gave up one run over seven innings and Mark Reynolds(notes) and Derrek Lee(notes) homered.
Baltimore won for the fifth time in its last 24 meetings with New York, improving to 5-16 at the current Yankee Stadium.
This day-night doubleheader is the first twinbill between these teams since they split one Sept. 26, 2003.
New York’s last three-game slide was when it got swept at home June 7-9 by AL East-leading Boston. The Yankees are 4-3 on a 10-game homestand that included visits from lowly Oakland and Seattle.
“We won the first two series, we’re behind in this series, and let’s see if we can win the first game (Saturday) and see where we’re at,” manager Joe Girardi said.
The Yankees will start Bartolo Colon(notes) (7-6, 3.29 ERA) in the opener and Ivan Nova(notes) (8-4, 4.12) in the nightcap.
Colon is 5-1 with a 2.13 ERA in day games this year. He ended a three-start losing streak by limiting Oakland to two runs over seven innings in Sunday’s 7-5 victory.
The veteran right-hander has yielded six hits in 11 scoreless innings against the Orioles this season in one start and one relief appearance. He’s had trouble in the past against Adam Jones(notes) (5 for 12), Lee (5 for 13) and Vladimir Guerrero(notes) (4 for 12).
Nova will pitch in the majors for the first time since he yielded one run over five innings to earn a 5-1 victory over the Mets on July 1. Two days later, he was sent to the minors, where he was hit in the ankle by a line drive.
The right-hander went 4-0 with a 3.41 ERA over his last five starts with New York before his spot in the rotation was taken by Phil Hughes(notes).
“The guy that we brought back into the rotation won 18 games last year, and there aren’t a lot of people that do that every year,” Girardi said. “We thought there were things that Nova could also work on as he went down.”
Nova’s lone start against Baltimore was Sept. 8, when he gave up two runs over six innings and did not get a decision in New York’s 3-2 victory.
The Orioles are bringing back right-hander Chris Tillman(notes) (2-3, 4.69) for the opener and left-hander Zach Britton(notes) (6-7, 4.05) for the nightcap from the minors. Both are eager to prove themselves again.
“Everything that went on in the past is in the rearview mirror,” Tillman told the Orioles’ official website. “Hopefully, we’ll run with (this opportunity) and see where it takes us.”
Tillman is 1-2 with an 8.27 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees, lasting 1 2-3 innings and allowing six runs in a 7-4 loss April 13 in the lone outing this year. Robinson Cano(notes) is 7 for 9, Derek Jeter(notes) 5 for 9 and Mark Teixeira(notes) 4 for 7 against him.
Britton is facing New York for the second time after he yielded an unearned run over seven innings in a 4-1, 15-inning loss May 18.