(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees try to make it two straight wins this
evening when they continue a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at
Camden Yards.
New York got off the schneid on Monday, as Derek Jeter went 4-for-4, Ivan Nova
struck out seven batters in seven innings and the Yankees rolled to a 6-2 win
for their first victory of the season.
The Yankees, swept in a three-game series at Tampa Bay to begin the season,
avoided their first 0-4 start since 1973 despite giving up 13 hits.
"We gave up some hits, but we got some big outs when we needed to," said
Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
Nova (1-0) surrendered two runs and 10 hits, but didn't issue a walk and got
out of numerous jams, while Andruw Jones hit a solo homer in the victory.
Matt Wieters was 4-for-4 with a solo shot for the Orioles, who suffered their
first loss after sweeping a three-game series against Minnesota to open the
season.
"He hit a 2-0 changeup off Nova first time up, he's seeing the ball pretty
good," said Baltimore manager Buck Showalter about Wieters. "He put a lot of
good pitches into play tonight and that's great to see."
Brian Matusz (0-1) threw 96 pitches in just four innings and gave up four runs
on six hits and four walks to take the loss.
Heading to the hill tonight for the Yankees will be right-hander Freddy
Garcia, who played a pivotal role for the team last season, going 12-8 with a
3.62 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). Garcia then signed a one-year deal with the
club, but had to earn his way into the rotation and could still find himself
out when left-hander Andy Pettitte returns.
Garcia has faced the Orioles 16 times and is 6-7 against them with a 4.44 ERA.
Baltimore, meanwhile, will rely on left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, who becomes the
first Taiwanese pitcher in Orioles history.
Chen, who also pitched for the Chinese Taipei national team in the 2004 and
2008 Olympics, spent the past four seasons pitching in Japan and posted a
record of 36-30 with a 2.48 earned run average in 117 games, including 88
starts, for the Chunichi Dragons. He also led the Central League with a 1.54
ERA in 2009.
In five Grapefruit League games this spring, Chen was 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA.
Chen will have the unenviable task of slowing down Yankees second baseman
Robinson Cano, something no Orioles pitcher has been able to do. In his last
23 games at Camden Yards Cano is batting .448 (44 for 98) with seven homers,
nine doubles and 17 RBI.
The Yankees have posted a 13-5 record against the Orioles in each of the past
three seasons.
The Sports Network