New York @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 16, 2014 ) NY Yankees 1, Tampa Bay 6

The New York Yankees get their second shot within a week against Alex Cobb, who they have yet to figure out in his four-year career. The Tampa Bay Rays' right-hander came within five outs of a no-hitter Sept. 11 versus the Yankees and takes the hill at home Wednesday when the teams complete a three-game set. Cobb has been brilliant in both starts against New York this season, allowing one run in 14 2/3 innings to improve to 5-1 with a 1.69 ERA in nine lifetime outings against the Yankees.

Cobb, who has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last two months, will try to pitch Tampa Bay to its fourth straight win. The Rays won 1-0 in Monday's series opener and captured a 6-1 victory on Tuesday behind six solid innings from Jake Odorizzi and a three-hit game from James Loney. The benches cleared late in the contest, so tensions could be high when the teams conclude a season series that the Rays currently lead 11-7.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Brandon McCarthy (9-14, 3.98 ERA) vs. Rays RH Alex Cobb (9-7, 2.75)

Even though McCarthy has enjoyed some success in the majors, he has never won 10 games in a season. The 31-year-old also won nine games with the Oakland Athletics in 2011 and has a good chance to top that on Wednesday if he can continue his September success (1-0, 1.32 ERA in two starts). McCarthy has faced the Rays once this season and allowed four runs (two earned) in 6 1/3 innings of a 5-0 loss on Aug. 15.

Cobb has not allowed more than two runs in a start since Independence Day and owns a 5-1 record with a 1.26 ERA since the All-Star break. He has been a terror on left-handed hitters all season, holding them to a .195 average and a .545 OPS. Among the Yankees hitters with poor career numbers against Cobb are Jacoby Ellsbury (3-for-19), Ichiro Suzuki (3-for-20) and Derek Jeter (2-for-15).

WALK-OFFS

1. The only active Rays player who has ever homered against McCarthy is OF-INF Ben Zobrist.

2. Jeter is mired in an 0-for-26 slump that has dropped his batting average to .249.

3. Tampa Bay is trying to win four straight contests for the first time since a nine-game winning streak in mid-July.

PREDICTION: Yankees 3, Rays 2