O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on the mound in series opener

Since the Orioles took two of three from the Yankees April 7-9 in Baltimore, New York has been doing a lot of winning. The Yankees began the year 1-4, but they are 12-3 since then and just took a two-game series from Boston with 3-1 and 3-0 wins.

This is the Yankees' best 15-game stretch since July 9-July 28, 2015. New York is 8-1 at home and 3-0 in home series.

Tonight these clubs begin a three-game series in the Bronx with the first-place Orioles (14-6) leading the second-place Yankees (13-7) by one game.

The Orioles are 7-3 against New York since Aug. 28, 2016. But Baltimore has lost the season series in Yankee Stadium 17 times in 19 years since 1998. The two times the O's did post a winning record there were in 2012 (6-3) and 2014 (6-4). Last season, the Orioles went 4-6 at New York.

When the Orioles rallied to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 in 11 innings Wednesday night at Camden Yards, they remained without a series loss this year. They are 6-0-1 and are the only major league team yet to lose a single series in 2017. With that win, the Orioles are 12-5 (.706) in games versus American League East teams. The Yankees are 7-4 (.636) in division games.

The Orioles are looking for right-hander Kevin Gausman to begin to get his season on the right track tonight. Gausman (1-2, 7.50 ERA) has made five starts with just one quality start.

Over his last two games against Cincinnati and Boston, Gausman's ERA is 14.63. Over eight innings he has permitted 16 hits and 13 runs, allowing four home runs with six walks and six strikeouts.

Gausman was outstanding against the Yankees in 2016, going 3-1 with a 1.10 ERA and six walks to 35 strikeouts over six starts covering 41 innings. In that earlier series at Camden Yards, Gausman got a no-decision versus New York. He pitched 4 2/3 and gave up eight hits and four runs, throwing 97 pitches. In 18 career games (12 starts) versus the Yankees, he is 6-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 1.103 WHIP.

Lefty CC Sabathia (2-1, 2.70 ERA) starts opposite Gausman. His ERA is his lowest through his first four starts since he recorded a 1.57 ERA in 2013. He has two quality starts, and the Yankees are 3-1 in his games.

In five 2016 starts he went 1-3 with a 2.30 ERA against Baltimore. On April 9 in Baltimore, he pitched six innings and gave up six hits and three runs (two earned) without getting a decision.

Sabathia has made 39 career starts versus the Orioles, going 19-10 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.188 WHIP.

In 2016, both Gausman and Sabathia finished with 9-12 records.