New York @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2011 ) Tampa Bay 15, NY Yankees 8
THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays are within one game in the American League wild-card race for the first time since June 29, after winning three of their last four. Now they have three games left to try and become the first team in major league history to make the playoffs after overcoming a nine-game deficit in September. The Rays will have their top three pitchers starting, with James Shields leading off Monday against the AL-East champion New York Yankees. The Rays are 14-10 this month. The Yankees are 16-9 in September and 9-6 against Tampa Bay in 2011.
TV: 7:10 p.m. EST; YES (New York), SunSports (Tampa Bay).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Hector Noesi (2-1, 4.14) vs. Rays RH James Shields (15-12, 2.84)
Noesi made his first major league star Wednesday against the Rays, allowing four hits and two runs in 2 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old rookie has 44 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings. He has pitched six innings in relief against Tampa Bay, giving up three hits and no runs. Desmond Jennings homered off Noesi on Wednesday.
Shields has lost his last two starts, allowing eight runs in 14 1/3 innings, but he gave the Rays a chance to win both. Teams are batting just .218 against him. He is 1-3 vs. the Yankees in 2011, but sports a 2.40 ERA. Shields is 4-11 in his career vs. New York with a 4.29 ERA in 121 2/3 innings. Robinson Cano is 20-for-53 with three homers and nine RBIs against Shields.
ABOUT THE YANKEES (97-62): The Yankees don’t have anything to play for other than pride and 100 victories, so expect them to spot their regulars. Derek Jeter has been hot of late, with 11 hits in 22 at bats the last six games to raise his average to .300. He has batted .300 or better 11 times. Jorge Posada has also been trying to solidify his spot on the postseason roster, going 4-for-9 the last four games with four RBIs. Rookie Jesus Montero continues impress, going 8-for-11 the last three games. Mark Teixeira had gone 10 games without an RBI before his two-run double in Sunday night's 14-inning loss to Boston.
ABOUT THE RAYS (88-71): Ben Zobrist has rebounded well after a tough doubleheader in New York last Wednesday, when he struck out four times and hit into a double play in five at bats. Zobrist is 6-for-15 his last four games with three homers and five RBIs. He has four homers in his last eight games after going 39 games without one. Evan Longoria hit his 29th homer Sunday and is five RBIs short of his third straight 100-RBI season, despite missing almost 30 games with injuries. B.J. Upton is finishing strong with 10 hits in 23 at bats the last six games including his 22nd and 23rd homers.
FINAL PITCH: Yankees’ ace C.C. Sabathia will not pitch in the series. He threw 65 pitches in a simulated game Sunday to prepare for his start in the opening game of the American League playoffs, expected to be Friday.