A look at what's happening around baseball Sunday:
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COMBO KINGS
A day after Astros starter Cristian Javier and two relievers became the first pitchers in 19 years to hold the Yankees without a hit, José Urquidy (6-3, 4.68 ERA) tries to give Houston a four-game series victory over baseball's best team. It's the first time New York was no-hit since six Astros teamed up for one at the old stadium on June 11, 2003.
The major league-leading Yankees are 52-20, and their .732 winning percentage entering Saturday is the best ever for a team held hitless at least 50 games into a season. They rallied to beat Houston in the series opener Thursday, but their offense has been completely shut down in two games since.
New York has lost consecutive games for the first time since May 28-29, and it'll ask lefty Nestor Cortes (6-3, 2.31) to stop the slide at two games. Nasty Nestor's breakout season has hit a snag, though — he has a 5.79 ERA over his last three starts.
BULLPEN BLUES
The Dodgers have another hole to plug in their bullpen after right-hander Daniel Hudson was placed on the injury list Saturday with a season-ending torn left ACL. The move was expected after Hudson’s knee buckled in the eighth inning of Friday night’s 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves as he reacted to a dribbler hit by Ronald Acuña Jr.
Hudson’s recovery is expected to take six to nine months, taking away the team’s top setup reliever. Hudson, 35, has five saves and a 2.22 ERA.
The Dodgers’ bullpen previously lost another late-innings veteran, Blake Treinen, to a right shoulder injury. Right-hander Tommy Kahnle (forearm tightness) also is on the 60-day IL. Brusdar Graterol or another pitcher must emerge as the next bridge to closer Craig Kimbrel.
“Obviously the guys that are here are going to have an opportunity,” Roberts said. “I’m not going to say who it is, but they’re going to have opportunities.”
Tony Gonsolin (9-0, 1.58) seeks to become the majors' first 10-game winner when Los Angeles closes out a series in Atlanta.
POWERFUL PETE
NL home run leader Pete Alonso is surging with the All-Star Home Run Derby less than a month away, connecting twice for the Mets on Saturday to give him 22 this season, including nine in June. The two-time Derby champion also leads the majors with 68 RBIs.
Mets left-hander David Peterson (4-1, 3.18) will start a series finale against Miami lefty Daniel Castano (0-1, 2.57). There had been speculation that Max Scherzer would return from the injured list to pitch Sunday, but manager Buck Showalter says the three-time Cy Young Award winner needs at least one more minor league rehab outing to test out his oblique strain.
HIGH FLYING BIRDS
The Orioles are in unprecedented territory this season, stringing together their first four-game winning streak of the season with recent wins against the Nationals and White Sox. They can close out a four-game sweep of Chicago, with righty Jordan Lyles (4-6, 4.92) set to face Dylan Cease (5-3, 2.68).
Baltimore has won eight of 10 and improved to 34-39 but remain in last place in the AL East, 18 1/2 games behind the Yankees.
“We come to the park every day and expect to win,” first baseman Trey Mancini said. “That’s not a feeling we’ve had here in a long time.”
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