New York @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2010 ) NY Yankees 5, Tampa Bay 4
The New York Yankees are assured of leaving Tampa Bay in first place. They’re just not sure how big the lead will be.
The Yankees will be looking to escape with a three-game cushion when they close out a three-game set at the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
The Rays pulled to within one game of the American League East lead with a 3-2 win in the series opener on Friday night, getting a dramatic three-run homer from Matt Joyce in the sixth inning to provide the winning margin.
Joyce was at it again on Saturday, giving Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead in the sixth with a solo blast.
But just when it looked like the Rays were poised to move into a tie for first place, New York’s offense took over. Nick Swisher tied it at 4-4 with a solo homer in the seventh and Robinson Cano struck for the winning run with his 21st homer of the season - a solo shot in the top of the ninth.
The Yankees totaled three homers in the game - a two-run blast from Mark Teixeira in the sixth tied it at 3-3 - but Alex Rodriguez was denied yet again, going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. The All-Star slugger has been stuck on 599 career homers since July 22 - a span of 42 plate appearances.
New York will be looking to coax a win out of ace CC Sabathia in the series finale. The hefty left-hander had a streak of 11 straight starts without a loss snapped earlier in the week at Cleveland, when he allowed four runs - two earned - and nine hits but still managed to last seven innings.
One thing New York manager Joe Girardi never has to worry about with Sabathia on the mound is the bullpen, as the All-Star hurler ranks second in the AL in innings pitched and has gone at least seven frames in nine of his last 10 outings.
Sabathia has faced the Rays twice this season, holding them to one hit in 7 2/3 innings to earn a win back on April 10 and allowing four runs - three earned - and eight hits in seven innings without factoring in the decision on July 16. For his career, Sabathia owns an 8-3 mark with a 3.03 ERA in 17 starts against Tampa Bay.
The Rays will counter with right-hander James Shields. Another pitcher not afraid to go deep into games, Shields leads the Tampa Bay staff in innings pitched (135 1/3) and strikeouts, recording 122 punchouts against 31 walks. Shields has won his last two starts, allowing a total of six runs in 13 innings against Baltimore and Detroit.
Despite his superb strikeout-to-walk ratio, Shields ranks last in the Rays’ celebrated rotation with a 4.79 ERA - due mainly to the 22 homers he has allowed. He surrendered a pair of blasts to the Yankees on July 16 among four hits in six innings. In 12 career outings against the division rivals, Shields owns a 2-7 record with a 5.45 ERA and 15 homers allowed in 72 2/3 innings.
Rodriguez owns one of those homers but is just 5-for-23 (.217) in his career vs. Shields.