Game 77 Preview: Yanks Look To Take Series Finale From Jays

Jun 20, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (18) reacts after giving up an RBI single to Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones (10) (not pictured) during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Last week when they played the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees looked unstoppable, outhitting and outpitching the mighty Jays, en route to a series sweep over them in the Bronx. Tonight, the Yankees will turn to Hiroki Kuroda in hopes of avoiding the same fate in Toronto. The Yankees were blown out Monday night in the series opener 8-3. They then lost a heartbreaker last night, in a game in which they managed to rally from a 6-0 deficit, but ultimately fell by a final score of 7-6. The Yankees have now lost four in a row, and sit 3.5 games back of the Blue Jays for first place, after coming into this series just 1.5 back. They will look to stop the bleeding tonight.

Hiroki Kuroda gets the start for the Yankees tonight as they look to avoid the sweep. Kuroda is coming off a good start in which he held the Orioles to 2 runs over 6 innings, keeping the Yankees in a game that they would eventually go on to win 5-3. Overall, Kuroda’s season has been less than spectacular. He currently owns a 4-5 record, to go along with a 4.23 ERA. He will have to show the same toughness he did in his last start, if the Yankees want any hope of defeating the powerful Blue Jays.

Opposing Kuroda and the Yankees, will be 23-year-old Drew Hutchinson. Hutchinson has pitched well this year, posting a 5-5 record, with a 3.86 ERA. However, current Yankees bat .333 as a team against him, so it will interesting to see how he fares tonight.

Things To Watch For

Can Tex Back Up His Talk? A day after calling out his teammates and saying that everyone on the team had to contribute offensively, Mark Teixeira had one of his worst games of the season, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout, and left 3 runners on base. Granted, he has been one of the Yankees’ best offensive players this season, leading the team in both home runs, and RBI. It just doesn’t look very good when you call out your teammates, and then promptly have the kind of performance that you’re calling them out for. We’ll see if Teixeira can get back on track tonight.

Betances Availability: After throwing 45 pitches through two innings of work last night, Joe Girardi will have a tough decision to make if the Yankees are leading late in the game-will Dellin Betances be available to pitch? My guess would be no, seeing as Betances is way too valuable to throw out there a day after he throws that many pitches, but we’ll see what the Yankees decide to do.