New York Yankees

Late rallies continue to be story of Orioles-Yankees rivalry (Apr 29, 2017)

Published Apr. 29, 2017 2:59 a.m. ET

NEW YORK -- The first four meetings between the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees have been decided in the seventh inning or later.

After the series opener featured eight home runs and the Yankees scoring 10 runs after the sixth inning, will there be a fifth game decided in the late innings?

It's a scenario the Orioles and Yankees would like to avert for their respective pitching staffs Saturday afternoon, when the teams continue their three-game series.

Baltimore won the first two meetings at home April 7 and 8 by rallying from deficits of four runs and three runs. The Yankees claimed the final meeting in Baltimore by coming back from a three-run deficit but may have topped themselves Friday by scoring nine times against one of the best bullpens in the majors for a wild 14-11 victory decided on Matt Holliday's three-run home run in the 10th inning.

"It's an amazing feeling," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We're down 9-1, and then we were down 11-4. They never quit. We have the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark and that's what we did."

On Friday, Aaron Judge hit two home runs, Jacoby Ellsbury hit a grand slam and Starlin Castro slugged a game-tying three-run homer off Brad Brach in the ninth. All of those allowed the Yankees to win for the 13th time in 16 games on Holliday's three-run shot in the 10th.

"We're a team that fights and battles," Judge said. "The whole game I felt we were in it, to be honest."

The comeback negated one of Baltimore's better offensive showings. The Orioles pounded out 15 hits and scored their second-most runs of the season.

Manny Machado highlighted a three-hit night with a 470-foot home run while Mark Trumbo and Wellington Castillo homered for the Orioles, who have dropped 12 of their last 13 series openers in New York.

"We've got to forget about this one quick," said Baltimore right-hander Kevin Gausman, who gave up both home runs to Judge. "Obviously, it's going to be some tough games between these two teams. These games mean a lot early on, but as you can see, it's going to be a grind against them all year."

The Yankees will try to get their fourth straight home series win and improve to 10-1 at home by handing the ball to Michael Pineda.

Pineda is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA but still struggles with two outs. Last year, Pineda allowed a .325 average with two outs, but this season, it is .310 (9-for-29), though teams are 6-for-24 with two outs in his last four starts.

The right-hander will be pitching on six days' rest due to an off day and a rainout in Boston. He last pitched during Saturday's 11-5 win at Pittsburgh, when he allowed three runs and five hits in five innings.

Pineda is 3-13 with a 4.93 ERA when pitching on six or more days' rest.

Lifetime against the Orioles, Pineda is 4-3 with a 4.16 ERA in 12 starts. Since getting 16 strikeouts against them on May 10, 2015, he is 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in six starts.

Ubaldo Jimenez will be on the mound and looking to reverse his slow start. He 1-0 with a 5.95 ERA through four starts so far.

In his one win, Jimenez pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings at Cincinnati on April 19. In his other starts, the right-hander has posted a 9.75 ERA, including Monday, when he lasted just 3 1/3 innings against Tampa Bay due to difficulty commanding his sinker and issuing four walks in his final inning.