The only non AL East opponent the Yankees face to end the season will be James Shields (12-7, 3.38 ERA) and the Royals. Michael Pineda (3-3, 2.09 ERA) will be on the mound for the Bombers. Pineda has allowed only six runs over 23 1/3 innings (four starts) since returning from the DL on August 13th. He’s given up 18 hits and just one walk while striking out 15 in that time. His last time out he gave up two runs on seven hits in a 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday. The runs he gave up was a Jose Bautista 2 run homer.
“Another great outing,” Brian McCann said. “This is what we’ve come to expect from him every time out.” Pineda has allowed two or fewer runs in all eight of his starts in pinstripes, which is encouraging for a team hanging on by a thread for October. “At this point, our mindset here is to just win as many games as we can,” McCann said. “We’ve got one month to turn it on and we plan on doing that.” Speaking of McCann, since he called his offensive season “horrible,” he’s hitting .276 (45-176) with eight home runs and 25 RBIs in 42 games.
Shields threw seven innings Saturday against divisional foe Cleveland, allowing one run but had nothing to show for it. The Royals lost 3-2 in extra innings and he ended up with a no decision. His most recent start against the Yankees on August 25th was a makeup game at Kauffman Stadium which was also a matchup with Pineda. He allowed six runs and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings. “There are a lot of good hitters over there, a lot of good veteran hitters, especially,” Shields said. “That’s not a ballclub you can take lightly.”
Notes on the game
In his two years with the Royals Shields is 18-5 with a 2.64 ERA on the road.
The Royals lead the MLB with 130 stolen bases. The Yankees are tied for second in the AL with 95.
7:05 pm on Yes.
