• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Orioles-Yankees Preview

May 5, 2010 - 4:16 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

Baltimore (7-19) at New York (17-8), 1:05 p.m. EDT

There are many reasons why the New York Yankees haven't lost a season series to the Baltimore Orioles in well over a decade.

Andy Pettitte's dominance is among the biggest.

Pettitte looks to win his seventh consecutive decision against lowly Baltimore and help the Yankees complete a three-game sweep Wednesday afternoon.

With 232 career victories, Pettitte has had a good deal of success against nearly every team he's faced in his 16 seasons, but there's no opponent he's enjoyed matching up against more than the Orioles.

He is 26-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 40 games versus Baltimore - his most wins against any team. That dominance has only gotten stronger recently, as he's 6-0 with a 3.14 ERA in his last eight starts against the Orioles.

Pettitte (3-0, 2.12 ERA) will look to rebound Wednesday following his first disappointing start of the season. He allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings Friday against the White Sox, leaving with the game tied before the Yankees (18-8) won 6-4. The veteran left-hander had surrendered only four runs in his first 28 innings.

Nick Markakis is one of the few Orioles to experience any success against Pettitte, going 11 for 32 (.344) with two home runs.

Pettitte will try to follow the lead set by CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, who have limited the Orioles (7-20) to one earned run in the first two games of this series.

Burnett allowed one unearned run in 7 1-3 innings Tuesday night, and Francisco Cervelli went 3 for 3 with two runs scored in New York's second straight 4-1 victory.

"In my career, I've never been a backup catcher," said Cervelli, who figures to make his second consecutive start Wednesday in place of injured Jorge Posada. "I always think I'm the first guy."

New York has won the first two games of this series despite getting only two hits in 29 at-bats from the top four spots in its order.

The Yankees appear on their way to winning the season series against the Orioles for the 12th time in 13 seasons, with the clubs splitting 18 games in 2007. New York has won four of five meetings in 2010, and is 24-6 in the past 30.

Baltimore's offensive woes continued as it scored one run or less for the eighth time in 27 games. The Orioles were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position Tuesday and are 0 for 12 in this series.

David Hernandez (0-3, 4.55) has a difficult assignment as he tries to win for the first time in 15 starts.

The right-hander is 0-9 with a 6.43 ERA in 14 outings dating to last season since beating Oakland on Aug. 11. He limited Boston to two runs and three hits over 5 1-3 innings Friday but walked five before leaving with a 3-2 lead in the Orioles' 5-4, 10-inning victory.

Like the rest of Baltimore's starting pitchers, Hernandez has received very little run support. His teammates have provided him with 1.63 runs per game in five starts this season.

Hernandez has no record and a 4.91 ERA while giving up four home runs in two starts against New York.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will appear in his 2,164th game Wednesday, tying him with Lou Gehrig for second-most in team history.