Orioles Look to Snap Skid, Reclaim AL East Lead Over Yankees

As the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees gear up for the series finale on Sunday in Baltimore, both teams are in a neck-and-neck race for the American League East lead. The victor will head into the All-Star break with a one-game lead in the division.

Current Situation and Recent Struggles

The Orioles, who were three games ahead of the Yankees as of Tuesday, have hit a rough patch with five straight losses. This slump is puzzling for a team that leads the majors in home runs (147) and has seven batters with double-digit homers. Over the past five games, the Orioles have only managed to score four runs, matching their worst losing streak of the season.

“We’ve scored a lot of runs this year, but we haven’t been able to lately,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We still feel really good about our offense. At some point here, we’re going to come out of it.”

First baseman Ryan Mountcastle expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back: “We’ve got a good little break coming up and we’ll get it going in the second half.”

Yankees’ Performance and Key Achievements

The Yankees have taken advantage of the Orioles’ slump, winning the first two games of the series. In Saturday’s 6-1 victory, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back home runs, widening New York’s lead. Judge’s homer was his 34th of the season, setting a new record for the most homers by a Yankee before the All-Star break.

“For our two big boys to go up there and extend the lead… it was big,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Pitching Matchup: Rodon vs. Kremer

Sunday’s game will feature left-hander Carlos Rodon (9-7, 4.63 ERA) for the Yankees and right-hander Dean Kremer (4-5, 4.42 ERA) for the Orioles. Rodon, who is currently on a five-game losing streak, has struggled recently, giving up 28 runs (27 earned) in his past 23 innings. He last faced the Orioles on May 2, surrendering seven runs (six earned) in four innings.

Kremer, on the other hand, secured a win against the Yankees on April 30, allowing two runs and four hits over seven innings. He has a career record of 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA in 10 starts against New York.

Injuries and Lineup Changes

The Orioles will be without outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list after being hit by a pitch on Friday, an incident that led to an on-field confrontation between the teams. “He went out and took batting practice and just wasn’t feeling real well,” Hyde said about Kjerstad’s condition on Saturday.

Additionally, outfielder Austin Hays left Saturday’s game with hip soreness. Hyde indicated that the move was precautionary and expressed hope that Hays could return for the series finale.

Season Context and Future Meetings

With the series finale looming, the Orioles and Yankees are tied in the season series at 5-4. After Sunday, the only remaining games between the two teams will be a three-game set in New York from September 24-26. The outcome of Sunday’s game will be crucial in determining the division leader heading into the All-Star break.

The Orioles are hoping to end their skid and reclaim the AL East lead, while the Yankees aim to continue their winning streak and take the top spot. Fans can expect an intense and exciting game as both teams battle for division supremacy.