New York @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2010 ) NY Yankees 8, Tampa Bay 7
If this is indeed a playoff preview, the American League Championship Series is going to be one heck of a series.
The New York Yankees edged the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 in 10 innings to reclaim first place in the AL East on Tuesday. The two teams, separated by a half-game, conclude their three-game series Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
While today's game will settle this series, the two teams meet again in New York next week for a four-game set.
Phil Hughes (16-7) starts today for the Yankees. Hughes is 2-2 against the Rays in his career and lost a 3-2 decision at Tampa Bay in their last meeting. In that game he allowed three runs on four hits in six innings.
Hughes' innings have been monitored closely by the Yankees. He has thrown 156 innings on the season and has not pitched more than six innings in any game since July 9, a stretch of 11 appearances.
New York skipped his turn in the rotation after that outing.
James Shields (13-12) goes for the Rays. Shields has regrouped after a slow start to the season by winning six of his last nine decisions.
He has not fared well in the past against New York, posting a career mark of 3-7 with a 4.95 ERA.
The Yankees snapped a four-game losing streak with Tuesday's win, but it didn't come easy.
New York appeared to be in complete control after taking a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning. Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez had homered and Ivan Nova was working on a one-hitter.
That's when things fell apart for the Yankees' rookie. Tampa Bay blasted two home runs in the bottom of the fifth and scored seven runs.
With Tampa Bay leading 7-6, Cano delivered an RBI double to tie the game and it remained that way until the top of the 10th inning. Jorge Posada then led off the extra frame with a titanic blast off the restaurant above the center field wall. The shot was estimated around 470 feet and gave New York an 8-7 lead.
Mariano Rivera came on in the bottom of the 10th to close things out but immediately got into trouble by allowing a single to Carl Crawford. Evan Longoria made his own bid for a game-winning homer, crushing a shot to the wall in center field that Curtis Granderson ran down.
After Crawford stole second base Matt Joyce flew out to right field. Crawford tagged up on the play and tried to take third base but he was thrown out by right fielder Greg Golson to end the game.
Rivera notched his 30th save of the season but the Yankee closer has not been a sure thing recently. Rivera blew his last opportunity in Texas and nearly surrendered a game-winning home run to Nelson Cruz in the previous contest against the Rangers.
Tampa Bay has stolen 19 bases without being caught by the Yankees this season.