Tampa Bay @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 5, NY Yankees 7

The New York Yankees have won a season high-tying six in a row to make matters interesting in the playoff picture while the Tampa Bay Rays have dropped five of six to add more misery to a forgettable season. New York looks to continue its improbable march on Saturday as the American League East rivals play the third contest of their four-game series at Yankee Stadium.

Gary Sanchez, who was the AL Player of the Month for August, went deep for the first time in September with a solo shot in Friday's 7-5 triumph for New York's franchise-record 12th homer by a rookie catcher. The Yankees (75-65), who were branded sellers at the trade deadline and left for dead in the tabloids, reside a season-high 10 games over .500 and are within one of Baltimore and Detroit for the second wild card. Tampa Bay's Kevin Kiermaier, who is riding a career-high 13-game hitting streak, is 9-for-13 with three homers, five RBIs and four runs scored in his last three contests. The 26-year-old is 12-for-31 with eight runs scored against New York this season and 4-for-8 with a solo homer in his career versus Saturday starter Masahiro Tanaka.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (8-17, 4.06 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (12-4, 3.11)

Archer recorded at least nine strikeouts for the fourth time in five outings on Sunday, but the 27-year-old walked away with a no-decision despite yielding two runs in 6 1/3 innings versus Toronto. Archer fell to 5-4 in his career against New York after permitting nine runs and three homers en route to dropping both decisions this season. Jacoby Ellsbury is batting a blistering .581 in 31 career at-bats against Archer, however, the hurler has kept Brian McCann (3-for-26) and Chase Headley (3-for-19) under wraps.

Tanaka improved to 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last six starts on Monday after allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings of a 5-3 victory over Toronto. The 27-year-old Japan native overcame three walks, a staggering number considering he issued just one free pass over his previous six contests. Tanaka won both decisions versus Tampa Bay this season to improve to 4-0 in his career against the Rays, highlighted by scattering two hits over seven scoreless innings in a 4-1 triumph on May 27.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York 1Bs Mark Teixeira and Tyler Austin are a combined 4-for-9 with two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored in this series.

2. Tampa Bay OF Steven Souza Jr. is 5-for-8 with three homers, four RBIs and as many runs scored in the series and 12-for-41 in the season set versus the Yankees.

3. Rays 3B Evan Longoria is 6-for-37 with 10 strikeouts in his last nine games.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Rays 2