Loading ...After winning game one of the ALDS, the New York Yankees will send five-time World Series champion Andy Pettitte to the mound for game two in Baltimore on Monday night. Joining Pettitte on the mound will be Wei-Yin Chen of the Orioles, who will be making his first career playoff appearance.
The Yankees know Pettitte is more than capable of stepping up in big games, proven by his all-time records of 19 career playoff wins and 263 career postseason innings pitched, but this will only be the veteran left-hander's fourth game back since missing over two months with a fractured ankle. However, Pettitte has had nine days off since his last start and he is not worried about fatigue.
"I feel good about it, I'm ready to go," said Pettitte. "Like I've said, I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, I think the only thing I can say is I'm ready. I'm going to quit analyzing what I had at the end of the season."
Pettitte finished the regular season with a 5-4 record, but had a dominating 2.87 ERA. He has not yet faced the Orioles yet this year, but he has struggled on the road, going 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA, compared to his 4-1 record and 1.85 ERA at Yankee Stadium.
As for the 27 year-old Chen, he will be making his first career postseason start, though he does have experience pitching against the Yankees. In four starts against New York this season, Chen is 1-2 with a 5.25 ERA, with the worst outing coming at Camden Yards in early September when the Yankees hit three home runs and scored seven runs in less than five innings off Chen.
Looking past the pitching matchup, the Yankees will look for three-time Most Valuable Player Alex Rodriguez to step up and contribute in the middle of the order. After missing all of August with a hand injury, A-Rod slowly returned in September, then finished the season going 4-8 with three walks in the final two games of the season, which were must-win games for New York.
Following that two-game hot streak, A-Rod went 0-4 with three strikeouts in game one Sunday night, though he did walk once and score a run. If the Yankees want to get the offense clicking on all cylinders, the former MVP will need to pose as a threat in the heart of New York's lineup.
Game two will start at 8:07 PM ET on Monday night.
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