Los Angeles @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2010 ) LA Angels 4, Tampa Bay 3

All it took was one loss for the Tampa Bay Rays to find themselves chasing the New York Yankees again.

A solid start from their staff ace could have them atop the heap once again.

David Price looks for his 18th victory of the season Saturday as the Rays resume their three-game weekend series with the Los Angeles Angels at Tropicana Field. The Rays lead the season series 4-3, but have dropped the last two head-to-head meetings, including Friday's series opener.

The Rays and Yankees have taken turns atop the American League East standings over the past week.

It was the Yankees' turn to gloat Friday after they rallied to beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3, while the Rays lost to the Angels by the same score. That result pushed New York a half-game up on Tampa, the fifth lead change in the division over the past seven days.

The teams will face off in a four-game series beginning Monday at Yankee Stadium in a showdown that could decide who wins the division title and who settles for a wild-card berth, which will likely go to one of the two teams.

While the Rays can't control what happens in the Yankees-Orioles series, they have to be confident with Price on the mound in Saturday's matchup.

Price (17-6) has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in baseball this season, nudging his way into Cy Young contention with an impressive string of outings. The 25-year-old has allowed more than three earned runs just three times this season, and is a solid 5-2 since the All-Star break.

He was cheated out of a victory in his last start five days ago against the Bronx Bombers, settling for a no-decision despite throwing eight scoreless innings while allowing just three hits and a pair of walks. The Yankees eventually scored a run in the 11th inning and escaped with the 1-0 victory.

Price has faced the Angels just three times in his major-league career, going 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. He last faced them on May 12, allowing three runs over 6 1/3 innings to pick up the victory in a 4-3 Tampa Bay triumph.

He'll be hoping for more offensive firepower than the Rays showed Friday, mustering just five hits against a trio of Angels pitchers. Tampa Bay struck out 13 times in the game, while Ben Zobrist grounded out with two runners aboard to end the game.

They'll take on Angels hurler Joel Pineiro (10-7), who will be activated from the 15-day disabled list after missing more than seven weeks with a left oblique strain. The team wasn't sure if Pineiro would return this season, but he performed well during his rehab assignments and will get the call Saturday.

Pineiro won seven of eight starts prior to the injury, and put together a five-outing stretch where he allowed just six earned runs over 37 1/3 innings.

The 31-year-old is 2-4 lifetime against the Rays with a 5.10 ERA in 60 innings. He threw 6 1/3 shutout innings against them on May 10 but picked up a no-decision in a game the Angels went on to win 5-4.