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The Yankees will look to close out the ALDS with Phil Hughes on the mound to face Joe Saunders.
Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees
When: Thursday, Oct. 11, 7:37 p.m. ET on TBS
Starting pitchers: Joe Saunders vs. Phil Hughes
The Yankees will send former first-round pick Hughes to the mound in the hopes of closing out their series against Baltimore. He tossed a career-high 191⅓ innings this season, and he showed marked improvement in both his walk and strikeout rates. Hughes lowered his walk totals from 3.3 per nine innings to 2.2, and he whiffed 7.8 batters per nine innings, compared to 5.7 a year ago. However, Hughes had a very difficult time keeping balls in the ballpark during the regular season; the righty served up a career-high 35 home runs.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter sent both Chris Tillman and Saunders to the podium as potential starters prior to Game 3, but he's elected to start Saunders, the winner of the Wild Card play-in game. The lefty held the Rangers to one run on six hits in 5⅔ innings for his first career postseason victory. The Yankees' hero in Game 3, Raul Ibanez, has given Saunders fits in the past; the lefty-swinger has hit .348/.375/.652 against him with two home runs in 24 plate appearances.


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