Orioles and Yankees lineups

NEW YORK - The Orioles begin a three-game series against the Yankees tonight with first baseman Chris Davis remaining in the cleanup spot.

Davis has homered in two of his last three games. Yesterday's home run was the first for Davis as the cleanup hitter since Sept. 26, 2017 in Pittsburgh. He's hit four on Mother's Day.

Davis-Rounds-Third-Mothers-Day-Homer-Sidebar.jpgDavis' .952 OPS since April 13 leads the team and ranks 15th in the American League (minimum 70 plate appearances). He's hitting .290/.371/.581 (18-for-62) with three doubles, five home runs, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored in that stretch.

Stevie Wilkerson, in center field again tonight, is 12-for-38 (.316) with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs this month.

Hanser Alberto is playing second base with Jonathan Villar at shortstop. Pedro Severino is catching.

David Hess has faced the Yankees twice this season, tossing two scoreless innings in relief in the Bronx and allowing four runs over five innings in a Camden Yards start.

Right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga was supposed to start tonight for the Yankees - his only experience against the Orioles one-third of an inning last season that resulted in two runs and two hits, including catcher Austin Wynns' homer - but the club announced shortly after 1:30 p.m. that right-hander Luis Cessa would take the mound.

Cessa is making his first start of the season after allowing seven earned runs (eight total) and 15 hits with eight walks and 25 strikeouts in 19 innings. His first two appearances came against the Orioles, and he surrendered one earned run (two total) and three hits with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Cessa has made eight career appearances against the Orioles, including three starts, and registered a 3.00 ERA and 0.967 WHIP in 30 innings.

Davis is 3-for-9 with a double and four strikeouts against Cessa.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, left-hander John Means is the first Orioles pitcher to allow only one earned run or fewer in five of his first six major league starts since Maryland native Steve Barber in 1960.

Reliever Mychal Givens is celebrating his 29th birthday today.

On this date in 2001, the Orioles scored five runs in the 11th inning off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in a 10-5 win. Jeff Conine capped off the inning with a three-run homer.

For the Orioles
Jonathan Villar SS
Dwight Smith Jr. LF
Trey Mancini RF
Chris Davis 1B
Stevie Wilkerson CF
Renato Núñez DH
Rio Ruiz 3B
Hanser Alberto 2B
Pedro Severino C

David Hess RHP

For the Yankees
Aaron Hicks CF
Luke Voit 1B
Gary Sánchez C
Clint Frazier DH
Gleyber Torres SS
Brett Gardner LF
Gio Urshela 3B
Thairo Estrada 2B
Cameron Maybin RF

Luis Cessa RHP

Notes on Cobb, Davis, new power, Núñez and more
O's game blog: David Hess starts series opener (ga...