The American League East leading Orioles are in the Big Apple this evening to begin a three game set with their arch rival, the Yankees. First pitch in tonight's contest between Baltimore and New York is scheduled for 7:05pm ET at Yankee Stadium. MLB Odds and Predictions have New York listed as a -190 moneyline favorite; the game total is set at 9.5 with the Over drawing -115 odds.
Baltimore (6-3) stormed out to a 6-1 start, but its momentum has since slowed with the club dropping two in a row over the
weekend to the red hot Rangers. The Orioles showdown with Texas, which was slated for four games but ended at three due to a game one postponement, marked their first losing series of the season.
Now Baltimore will play its next six on the road, where it is 3-0 after a season opening sweep of AL East rival Tampa Bay. The chances of the Orioles maintaining that hot road start in New York are not overwhelming as they have dropped seven of their last nine against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Pitcher Chris Tillman, who owns a 3.38 ERA after two starts this season, has also struggled against New York. Tillman has worked a total of 14.2 innings against the Yankees in his brief career, giving up 20 hits, nine earned runs, and 11 walks in route to a 5.52 ERA and 2.11 WHIP.
New York, which is 5-4 on the season and just a game back of Baltimore in the division standings, is also coming off of its first series loss of the season. The Yankees dropped two out of three in Boston, a series which ended with a 4-0 Red Sox victory on Sunday.
Veteran hurler A.J. Burnett will look to get New York back on track tonight as he takes the hill for Manager Joe Girardi. Burnett has not been the second coming of Cy Young in his first two starts this season, but he does appear to have overcome his disastrous 2010. The Arkansas native is 2-0 with a 4.09 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and almost four to one strikeout to walk ratio.
Burnett is 11-4 with a 4.47 ERA in 18 career starts against the Orioles. His last appearance against the O's came in September of last year when he presided over a 4-3 Yankees victory (seven innings, six hits, three earned runs allowed).
Orioles vs Yankees Odds 2011 MLB Predictions:
Baltimore Orioles +1.5 (-130), Over 9.5 (-115), +160 (Moneyline)
New York Yankees -1.5 (+110), Under 9.5 (-105), -190 (Moneyline)
