Tampa Bay @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 20, 2010 ) Tampa Bay 8, NY Yankees 6
There are few occasions when an opponent can say it’s a good time to be visiting Yankee Stadium.
Friday night certainly doesn't look to be one of them - even for the best road team in baseball.
The Tampa Bay Rays invade the Bronx tonight to take on the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game set that was shaping up as the most highly anticipated showdown of the season.
And while a mere look at the standings in the powerful American League East speak to the importance of this weekend's matchup, the Yankees have more pressing matters at hand than just protecting their two-game lead over Tampa Bay.
It will be New York's first game at Yankee Stadium since the death of two of the franchise's icons within the past week - fiery owner George Steinbrenner and graceful public address announcer Bob Sheppard.
The team announced on Thursday that there will be a tribune to both men prior to tonight's game.
Steinbrenner, who bought the Yankees in 1973 and presided over seven world championships, died Tuesday at the age of 80.
Sheppard passed away two days earlier at age 99. Known as the "Voice of God," he served as the public address announcer for the Yankees from 1951 to 2007.
A video tribune to Steinbrenner and a moment of silence in honor of both men will be part of the pregame ceremonies.
If dealing with such an emotional cauldron at the Stadium is not enough of an obstacle for the Rays, they also have to find a way to solve Yankees ace CC Sabathia (12-3), who is tied for the American League lead in wins and has won his last eight starts.
The burly left-hander has pitched at least seven innings in each of the outings and has allowed just 14 runs total during the stretch, lowering his ERA over a full run.
Sabathia dominated the Rays in Tampa Bay in his second start of the season, allowing one hit in 7 2/3 scoreless innings of a 10-0 Yankee rout.
Although the Rays sport a major league-best 28-14 record away from home, they face a decided disadvantage in the pitching matchup with James Shields opposing Sabathia.
Shields (7-9) is in the midst of one of the worst stretches of his career, having lost eight of his last nine starts. He has been roughed up for 45 runs during that span, an ominous sign given that Shields is 2-7 with a 5.54 ERA in 11 career starts against the Yankees.
He is 1-0 in two starts against New York this season, allowing six runs on 12 hits in 12 2/3 innings.
After a miserable June swoon that allowed the Yankees to vault to the top of the AL East, the Rays have rebounded by winning 10 of their last 12 games.
Still, they have only managed to gain one game on the Yankees, who have gone 9-3 in that same stretch.