Sonny Gray Gets The Start As New York Goes For The Sweep Of Baltimore

We have a shift going on in the rotation for the season series finale as New York takes on Baltimore Sunday, Instead of the veteran left-hander 37-year-old CC Sabathia New York will start right-hander Sonny Gray who was acquired from  Oakland on  July 31st at the trade deadline as CC Sabathia's start was pushed back to Tuesday against Minnesota. 

Aaron Judge, for one, will be sad that the Orioles are leaving town. Judge enters Sunday's game with 11 homers against Baltimore this season, his most against any opponent. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

Only two Yankees have ever hit more home runs against any particular opponent than Judge: Lou Gehrig (14 vs. the Indians in 1936, 12 vs. the Browns in '31 and 12 vs. the White Sox in '34) and Roger Maris (13 vs. the White Sox in '61). "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

But it's not just Judge who has fared well. New York has won 12 of 18 games against the Orioles in 2017 and head into Sunday's finale of the four-game series -- as well as the season series between the two teams -- looking to better that marker and pick up some ground in catching Boston atop the American League East. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

The Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound against Orioles righty Ubaldo Jimenez looking for the tough four-game series sweep. Jimenez walked two batters and gave up six hits, including a solo homer, leading to three runs over five innings in his last start on Monday in Toronto. The 33-year-old is 5-10 with a 6.75 ERA in 134 2/3 innings. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

Gray was moved up from Monday, but he will still be going on regular rest. The Yankees pushed CC Sabathia to Tuesday and slotted in Jaime Garcia for Monday's game against the Twins. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

Gray took a complete-game loss after giving up two runs in eight innings against the Rays on Tuesday. The complete game was Gray's first since 2015 and sixth of his career. He's 3-5 with the Yankees, despite a 2.66 ERA. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

While the Orioles' postseason hopes have largely faded, the club will add touted lefty prospect Tanner Scott to the roster prior to Sunday's game. Scott has a fastball that routinely touches 100 mph. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

Since the start of 2015, the Yankees have won 21 of 29 games against the Orioles in Yankee Stadium, including an 8-1 record there in 2017. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170916254611316/ubaldo-gray-close-out-os-yanks-season-series/?game_pk=492327

As for their last game, New York beat Baltimore. 

New York continued their winning ways Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium against Baltimore as rookie Jordan Montgomery got back in the win column.

 Blending their rejuvenated power-hitting offense with some strong pitching, the Yankees clinched their 25th consecutive winning season while continuing to keep the heat on the Red Sox in the American League East race. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

Didi Gregorius and Greg Bird hit a pair of three-run homers to support  Jordan Montgomery's 's scoreless outing as New York secured a 9-3 victory over the Orioles at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon, its 11th win in 14 games. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

"It's been really good. It's come from all kinds of places in our lineup," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Different places every day, everyone contributing. It's what we did more the first two months and a week of the season. We went through some stuff and kind of struggled, but we got back on track." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

With the victory, the Yankees remained three games b behind the Red Sox in the division, with Boston securing a 3-1 win at Tampa Bay on Saturday. New York holds a commanding five-game lead over the Twins -- who lost to the Blue Jays on Saturday night -- for the first American League Wild Card spot." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

The win was the Yankees' 82nd of the season, extending a run of consecutive winning campaigns (since 1993) that ranks second in Major League history only to the 1926-64 Yankees, who secured 39 straight seasons of winning baseball. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

Gregorius belted his 23rd homer, moving within one blast of equaling Derek Jeter's 1999 mark for the most home runs hit by a Yankees shortstop, and Bird launched his second shot in the past two games as New York chased Jeremy Hellickson after just three-plus innings. Todd Frazier added a two-run blast, his 26th, in the seventh inning. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

Wielding a sharp curveball that kept the Birds' bats silent, Montgomery struck out six over six scoreless innings as he picked up his first victory since July 25 against the Reds, which also marked the most recent time that he had completed six innings. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

"It was nice to really just control the tempo today and attack hitters," said Montgomery, who scattered four hits with a walk. "You don't want to take your foot off the gas too much with the Orioles; they can really swing it. If you give them a chance to get back in the game, they're going to take it and hit a couple of balls out of the park." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

The Orioles were three games over .500 as recently as Sept. 5, but they have lost nine of their last 10, all but ending their chances of postseason contention. New York is 12-6 against Baltimore this year, including 8-1 at Yankee Stadium. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

"There's a lot of things you could look into," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of his club losing eight of nine in the Bronx and allowing 98 total runs. "We've made really a lot of bad pitches that should end up in the bleachers. And we walk people before they hit them, so that's a bad combination. There's a lot of bad pitches being made with some stuff that isn't up to what they're capable of taking out there." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

Shortstop JJ Hardy had two of Baltimore's hits in his first start since June 18. Austin Hays picked up both his first Major League hit -- a third-inning single to center field off Montgomery -- and his first big league homer, a two-run shot in the ninth inning off Chasen Shreve. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

"It's frustrating," Hardy said of an Orioles club that got within 1 1/2 games of the second AL Wild Card at one point and is now essentially buried. "It's tough that we run into Cleveland as hot as they were, go up and play Toronto, lose two there. And come here and just haven't been playing too well. So, it's been a frustrating stretch." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

After Hellickson issued a pair of two-out walks to Chase Headley and Aaron Judge in the third inning, Gregorius made the right-hander pay, adding to his career highs by collecting his 23rd homer and 80th RBI of the season. It was the second home run of the series for Gregorius, who also slugged a two-run homer in the fifth inning of Friday's 8-2 victory off reliever Miguel Castro "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

"I don't try to do anything different; I just try to hit line drives, and I think when I hit some fly balls, they carry out," Gregorius said. "I'm not going out there trying to do it. I'm just trying to drive the ball to left-center, to right-center, wherever they try to pitch me and see if I can get the barrel to the ball." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

The Yankees continue to believe that Bird can be an impact first baseman when healthy, and the left-handed hitter showed off his sweet stroke with a three-run blast to the second deck in right field. That homer, Bird's fifth of his injury-shortened season, came after Jacoby Ellsbury doubled and Frazier walked to begin the fourth inning. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

"Just to be out there and play and be a part of it feels great," Bird said. "I know I've said it, but really, that means everything for me -- just to be a part of it and contribute however I can. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

It hurt a lot. It's kind of been strange, three of the last four starts, I think I've had four walks in all three of them. I really haven't gone through anything like that. Then the game in between, I have no walks. I'm kind of fighting myself, fighting my delivery. You know, just kind of difficult to get the ball down right now." -- Hellickson "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

Yankees batters have hit a Major League-leading 106 homers with runners on base this season, their most since 2005 (111) and the most by any team since the Blue Jays had 110 in 2010. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/254607666/jordan-montgomery-3-hrs-help-yankees-top-os/

With the win, New York improved to 82-66 and is now three games back of Boston who is leading the American League East with a record of 85-63 after their win over Tampa Bay by a score of 3-1 while Baltimore fell to 72-77 

New York will go for the sweep of Baltimore Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Ubaldo Jimenez who has a record of 5-10 with a 6.75 earn run average will get the start for Baltimore. The inconsistent Jimenez is expected to remain the rotation and get another chance Sunday in the Bronx. He allowed three earned runs over five innings Monday in a loss to the Blue Jays.   Sonny Gray will get the start for New York. He has a record of 9-10 with a 3.17 earn run average. Gray steps into the rotation in place of CC Sabathia who had his start pushed back to Tuesday against the Twins. Grey took a complete game loss in his last start against the Rays allowing two runs over eight innings while striking out nine. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-yankees/2017/09/17/492327#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492327

First pitch is set for 1:05 pm. The game will be televised on MASN and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/orioles-vs-yankees/2017/09/17/492327#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=492327