New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles: Luis Severino vs. Chris Tillman

The first-place Yankees take on the Baltimore Orioles in the second game of a three-game series tonight at Yankee Stadium. The Bronx Bombers won the series opener last night 8–2, behind the pitching of rookie left-hander Jordan Montgomery and the power of Aaron Hicks.

Jordan Montgomery was brilliant. He walked Chris Davis on a 3-2 pitch to start the second inning and Jonathan Schoop followed with a long home run to center field to give Baltimore a 2–0 lead. That was all the offense the O's could muster. Montgomery pitched seven strong innings to earn the victory. He gave up only those two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out eight.

Aaron Hicks continued making his case for being named to the 2017 All-Star team. He hit what turned out to be the game-winning home run in the sixth, a solo shot that gave the Yankees a 3–2 lead. He followed with a two-run blast in the seventh to give the Yankees a couple of insurance runs. With the score still 5–2 in the eighth, Hicks made a pair of sensational catches to help keep the O's from mounting a comeback.

With the win, the Bronx Bombers extended their division lead over the third-place Orioles to 4 1/2 games. Second-place Boston remained three games out with their 5–3 win over Detroit at Fenway last night.

The Yankees go for the series win over their AL East rivals tonight. Luis Severino (4–2, 2.90 ERA) will oppose Chris Tillman (1–3, 5.59 ERA).

Game 2: Luis Severino vs. Chris Tillman

Luis Severino won a rotation spot in spring training and has quickly become the Yankees' most effective starter. He is currently among the AL leaders in every pitching rate stat for the 2017 season. Severino ranks sixth in ERA (2.90), FIP (3.16), WHIP (1.07), strikeouts per nine innings pitched (10.0), and OPS (.623). He ranks fifth in ERA+ (152) and OBP (.274). He is seventh in SLG (.349) and fourth in strikeout to walk ratio (4.75). Severino is also tied for ninth in WARp (2.2).

Severino has given up a total of four earned runs in his last four starts. During this span, he has pitched 26 1/3 innings, allowed 22 hits, walked four, struck out 29, and is 2–0 with a 1.37 ERA.

In seven career games (five starts) versus Baltimore, Severino is 2–1 with a 4.06 ERA. This will be his first start against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium this year. His most recent start against the Orioles was on May 30, at Camden Yards. Severino gave up one run on seven hits, walked one, and stuck out eight in 6 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Chris Tillman has made six starts since missing the beginning of the 2017 season with a shoulder injury. He was on the losing end of Severino's gem at Camden Yards on May 30, getting pounded for five earned runs on seven hits — including three home runs — in only 2 2/3 innings.

Tillman has yet to pitch at Yankee Stadium this season. In nine career starts at The House That Ruth Built, Tillman is 4–4 with a 6.34 ERA and 1.84 WHIP.

Date: Saturday, June 10, 2017
Time: 7:15pm EDT
Place: Yankee Stadium
Broadcast: FOX (TV); WFAN 660/101.9 FM (Yankees radio)

Yankees notes

• The Yankees pitching staff leads the AL in ERA (3.62), WHIP (1.19), batting average (.229), OBP (.294), SLG (.373), and OPS (.667).
• The Yankees are one of only three MLB teams that haven't been shut out by an opponent this season. Minnesota and Washington are the others.
• The Yankees have scored at least eight runs in six of their last 12 games, including their last three games.
• The Yankees are second in the AL in runs scored (323) behind Houston (341). Houston has played four more games.
• The Yankees are third in the AL in home runs (93) behind Houston (96) and Tampa Bay (97). Tampa Bay has played five more games.
• The Yankees lead the AL in OBP (.345).
• The Yankees are second in the AL in batting average (.269) behind Houston (.277), second in slugging average (.460) behind Houston (.469), and second in OPS (.805) behind Houston (.813).
• The Yankees are second in MLB in run differential (+91) behind Houston (+102).
• The Yankees have three players among the league leaders in batting average: Aaron Judge is third (.323), Starlin Castro is seventh (.319), and Aaron Hicks is ninth (.318).
• Judge is second in the AL in OPS (1.088) and Hicks is third (1.010) behind Mike Trout (1.203).
• Judge leads MLB with 18 home runs.
• Brett Gardner has hit 13 home runs in his last 36 games.
• Masahiro Tanaka's next start has been pushed back one day, from Sunday (at home versus the Orioles) to Monday (versus the Angels in Anaheim). No starter has been announced for Sunday's game yet, but Yankees Manager Joe Girardi has not ruled out Chance Adams.
• Aroldis Chapman is headed to Tampa to rehab and will likely make an appearance with Double-A Trenton before possibly joining the Yankees in Oakland next week.
• In a rehab game with Triple-A Scranton last night, Greg Bird was 0-for-5 with a run scored. Tyler Austin was 2-for-5 with one run batted in and one run scored. They are both nearing their return to the big league club.