Tuesday baseball: Yankees at Orioles

Game Preview Yankees (83-48) at Orioles (54-78) Despite a tough schedule coming up, the Orioles hope that September will be a better month for them than August was. The O's finished the month playing and pitching a little better and won six of the final 12 games in the month. But overall, the Orioles lost 20 of 30 games in August. Tonight they begin September by hosting the Yankees in game two of a three-game series. David Hernandez (4-6, 4.24) will pitch vs. the Yankees A.J. Burnett (10-8, 4.10). The O's did not get a base runner until the 7th inning last night when they ended Andy Pettitte's perfect game bid. They lost 5-1 to fall to 2-3 on this ten-game homestand. Jeremy Guthrie suffered the loss Monday, despite allowing just four hits and two runs over six innings. Guthrie is 2-1, 1.80 over his last three starts. Over the last 11 games, O's starters have pitched to an ERA of 2.86 and no starter has allowed over three runs during that stretch. The O's are just 16-32 in AL East games, but they are 12-12 at home vs. division foes. Four of the Orioles last nine games have been decided by one run and 17 of the O's last 29 losses have come by one or two runs. The Orioles are 14-30 since the All-Star break. Rookie pitchers have started 77 of the O's 132 games so far and the club is 30-47 in those contests. Brian Roberts needs two doubles for 50 on the year. Should he reach 50, he'll become the fourth player in Major League history with three or more 50-double seasons. The others are Tris Speaker, Paul Waner and Stan Musial - all Hame of Famers. The Orioles are just 3-10 on the season vs. New York. They are 3-4 at home and 0-6 at Yankee Stadium. New York has won eight in a row and 17 of its last 20 games vs. the Orioles. The Yankees sport baseball's best record. They have won four in a row, nine of 12 and 21 of the last 27 games. New York is a season-best 35 games over .500. The Yankees ended August at 21-7 and are a Major League best 32-11 since the All-Star break. New York has out-scored its opposition, 28-6 during its four straight wins. Over his last 20 games, Derek Jeter is batting .457-5-13 with 22 runs scored. How some Yankees have hit O's pitching this year: Cano: 22-48/5/15 Damon: 13-48/2/10 Jeter: 14-52/1/6 Rodriguez: 6-30/2/8 Swisher: 13-31/4/13 Teixeira: 12-49/4/8 O's hitters in August: Andino: .238-0-0 Aubrey: 353-0-3 Izturis: .263-1-11 Jones: .211-2-11 Markakis: .325-4-19 Moeller: .389-1-4 Mora: .259-3-8 Pie: .333-5-13 Reimold: .228-2-10 Roberts: .302-6-18 Scott: .230-2-8 Wieters: .250-2-13 Wigginton: .286-1-7