Derek Jeter will make his final regular season appearance at Angel Stadium when the Yankees play the rubber game of a three-game series against the Angels.
Jeter has received two standing ovations from the home crowd while ending a 4-for-30 slump with three hits in the first two games, raising his batting average to .255 last night, when Brian Roberts homered in the ninth to lift the Yankees to a 4-3 win.
Roberts delivered the go-ahead home run off Ernesto Frieri, who has reclaimed a share of the Angels’ closing duties with Joe Smith following a string of five solid appearances. Frieri is expected to receive any save opportunity in this game with Smith likely unavailable due to tightness in his right side. Mike Trout, who snapped an 0-for-12 streak with a triple last night, enters the series finale as a .364 career hitter against the Yankees with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 20 games.
Most sportsbooks have the Yankees at +128, the Angels at -138 and the total at 8.
Pitching Matchup:
Vidal Nuno (0-0, 6.87 ERA) vs. Hector Santiago (0-5, 5.01 ERA)
Vidal Nuno’s struggles since replacing the injured Ivan Nova in the rotation continued against the Rays last Friday, when he allowed four runs over 4 2/3 innings. Nuno started against the Angels on April 26 and yielded three runs in 4 1/3 innings, including Mike Trout’s first inning solo home run. The Yankees are hoping Nuno can work deep into the game after being limited to 85-90 pitches in his first three starts since moving from the bullpen.
Hector Santiago lost for the third time in as many starts last Friday against the Rangers when he allowed five runs while striking out five over six innings. Santiago, who yielded four runs over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Yankees on April 26, is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in four career games (two starts) against them. The Angels have lost each of his six starts this season, and he has allowed four or more earned runs in four of those outings.
Game information:
New York Yankees (17-15) vs. Los Angeles Angels (16-16)
10:05 PM ET, May 7
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Coverage: FSW
Forecast for game time:
63° F/ 17° C
Clear
