New York @ Tampa Bay preview

NY Yankees at Tampa Bay

Last Meeting ( Aug 24, 2013 ) NY Yankees 2, Tampa Bay 4

The Tampa Bay Rays attempt to complete a sweep Sunday as they host the New York Yankees in the finale of their three-game set. Evan Longoria hit one of Tampa Bay's four home runs in Friday's series-opening victory before delivering a tiebreaking RBI single and adding a solo blast in Saturday's 4-2 triumph. The Rays, who have won eight of their last 10 contests, remained in a virtual tie with the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League East.

Tampa Bay (74-53, .583) is percentage points ahead of Boston (76-55, .580) and has four games in hand. New York's run for a playoff berth has stalled, as it has scored only twice in each loss after totaling 29 runs during its five-game winning streak. The Yankees are seven games out of first in the East and 4 1/2 behind the Oakland Athletics for the second AL wild-card spot.

TV: 1:40 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (7-4, 3.17 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (8-2, 2.85)

Nova notched his third straight victory Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays despite allowing four runs for the first time in 10 starts. The 26-year-old Dominican yielded a total of five runs in 28 1/3 innings over his previous four outings. Nova dropped to 6-3 lifetime against Tampa Bay on July 27, when he gave up just one run and six hits in seven frames.

Cobb extended his winning streak to five games Tuesday at Baltimore, limiting the Orioles to two runs - one earned - and three hits in six innings. The 25-year-old also has had five no-decisions since his last loss, a setback at Kansas City on April 30 in which he yielded four runs over 5 2/3 frames. Cobb held New York to two runs over 8 1/3 innings on May 26 to improve to 3-1 in five career outings versus the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rays have won 16 of their last 21 home games against the Yankees.

2. Tampa Bay has held its opponents to fewer than five runs in nine of its last 10 contests.

3. Yankees 1B Lyle Overbay has missed two straight games with flu-like symptoms.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Rays 1