Tonight's pitchers: Hill vs. Mitre

LHP Rich Hill (3-2, 7.22) tonight makes his 12th start of this season, his 8th on the road and the 1st of his career vs. the Yankees. Hill pitched in relief in Chicago. On Friday, he gave up two hits and two runs in just 1/3 of an inning. His last start was July 11th in a no decision at home vs. Toronto. In six innings, he gave up seven hits and two runs. This was after he had allowed 19ER over 13 innings in his previous three starts. Despite Hill's struggles this year the O's are 8-3 in his 11 starts. Hill's ERA by month in 2009: May: 6.14 June: 7.62 July: 7.71 Right-handed batters hit .302 off Hill while lefties hit .256. He yields an average of .389 when pitching with runners in scoring position. In seven road starts, he is 3-2, 5.80. Hill has recorded just three quality starts and has pitched six innings or more just three times on the year. Opponents bat just .230 off Hill in the first three innings of his starts. But he has given up 16 runs (of the 40 he has allowed) and a batting average of .465 in the fourth inning. The 29-year-old has pitched just once vs. the Yankees. He gave up one run in just 1/3 of an inning on 6-18-05 while with the Cubs. RHP Sergio Mitre tonight will make his Yankees debut after pitching for New York in the minors this year. Mitre began pitching this season after serving a 50-game suspension after testing positive for androstendione. He said he purchased the supplement over the counter. Mitre did not pitch at all last year and underwent Tommy John surgery in July. This season, in nine minor league starts at two stops, he is a combined 4-1, 2.32. In 54 1/3 innings he has allowed 50 hits with just seven walks and 43 strikeouts. In seven starts with Triple-A Scranton, he went 3-1, 2.40. With Scranton, left-handed hitters batted .324 off him and righty batters just .184. The 28-year-old from Los Angeles is taking the roster spot of Chien-Ming Wang, who is on the disabled list. Mitre has a Major League record of 10-23, 5.36 with the Cubs and Marlins. In 2007 with Florida, he went 5-8, 4.65 in 27 starts. Mitre has never faced the Orioles.