Yanks vs. Royals Series Preview

Yankees - Royals
@ Yankee Stadium
(4 games)

The Yanks look to ride the momentum of Jason Giambi's dramatic walk-off yesterday as they begin a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals. The two teams met in KC in early April and the Royals took two out of three.

KC enters this series losers of 15 of their last 17 ball games, and 11 in a row on the road. They're currently 23-37, and in last place in the AL Central.

The Yanks are still looking to get over that .500 hump, they enter today's action with 30-30 record, and are currently in 4th place in the AL East, 6.5 behind first place Boston.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Tonight @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: MY9, Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner RHP (3-2, 2.67) vs. Kyle Davies RHP (1-0, 1.80)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (5-3, 4.21) vs. Brian Bannister RHP (5-6, 4.60)

Game 3 - Sunday @ 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Joba Chamberlain RHP (1-2, 2.42) vs. Zack Greinke RHP (5-3, 3.56)

Game 4 - Monday @ 7:05 p.m.
TV: YES, Radio: WCBS 880
Mike Mussina RHP (9-4, 4.01) vs. Luke Hochevar RHP (3-5, 5.13)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Johnny Damon: Damon has been on a tear lately, he's hitting over .450 in his last 14 games, and he's 11 for his last 22 over his last 7 games. This hot streak has raised his batting average from .250 on May 20th to .315. Damon has done well against his former team, hitting .313 with 7 HR, 36 RBI and a .876 OPS in 53 games.

Damon vs. Davies: 2-for-4
Damon vs. Bannister: 3-for-4
Damon vs. Greinke: .364 (4-for-11), 2 2B, 2 RBI, .962 OPS
Damon vs. Hochevar: 0-for-2

Royals - Ross Gload: Gload may not be having a great year (.248, 0 HR, 9 RBI), but that probably won't stop him from hitting against the Yankees. The Brooklyn native absolutely destroys Yankees pitching, in 19 career games he's hit .446 against the Yanks, with 2 HR, 14 RBI, and a 1.172 OPS. He's even better at The Stadium, where he has hit .533 with a homer, 6 RBI, and a 1.367 OPS in 7 games.

Gload vs. Rasner: NR
Gload vs. Pettitte: 0-for-3
Gload vs. Joba: 0-for-1
Gload vs. Mussina: .600 (6-for-10), HR, 4 RBI, 1.936 OPS

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Ian Kennedy is on the 15-day DL with with a strained right lat muscle and bursitis under the right shoulder blade.
- Phil Hughes is out until at least July with a stress fracture of the rib.
- Brian Bruney might miss the rest of the season with an injured foot.
- Jonathan Albaladejo is on the 15-day DL with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and a strained posterior capsule in his elbow.

Royals:
- Luke Hudson is on the 60-day DL