New York @ Tampa Bay preview

NY Yankees at Tampa Bay

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2013 ) NY Yankees 2, Tampa Bay 7

The Tampa Bay Rays attempt to maintain at least a share of first place in the American League East when they continue their three-game set against the visiting New York Yankees on Saturday. Tampa Bay pulled into a virtual tie with the Boston Red Sox atop the division with a 7-2 triumph in the series opener. The Rays, who have won seven of their last nine contests, used the long ball as Jose Lobaton (four RBIs), Evan Longoria, Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist all homered off Hiroki Kuroda in the victory.

The loss ended New York's five-game winning streak and was just its third defeat in 13 contests. The Yankees did not lose any ground in the playoff race, however, remaining six games out of first place in the East and 3 1/2 behind the Oakland Athletics for the second AL wild-card spot. New York anxiously awaits the return of captain Derek Jeter, who will continue his rehab stint with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday with the hope of joining the Yankees for Monday's game at Toronto.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (11-10, 4.83 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (7-5, 3.29)

Sabathia posted his second straight victory Sunday at Boston despite yielding six runs in 5 1/3 innings. The burly 33-year-old has surrendered at least five runs in five of his last seven outings, going 2-3 in the process. Sabathia fell to 11-12 lifetime against Tampa Bay on July 26, when he was tagged for seven runs on nine hits over five frames.

Price is unbeaten since the All-Star break, going 4-0 with a 2.28 ERA in seven starts. The ace, who is two days shy of his 28th birthday, allowed only two runs on 10 hits over five innings in a win at Baltimore on Monday. Price lost his only outing against New York this season, yielding three runs in eight frames on April 23 to fall to 7-4 lifetime versus the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. Sabathia is 4-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 13 road starts this season, while Price is 1-4 with a 3.84 ERA in nine outings at home.

2. Tampa Bay has held its opponents to fewer than five runs in eight of its last nine games.

3. Rays OF David DeJesus went 1-for-3 and scored a run Friday after being acquired from Washington earlier in the day. Tampa Bay designated OF Jason Bourgeois for assignment to make room on the roster.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Yankees 2