The New York Yankees homestand continues as the Tampa Bay Rays visit the Bronx for a three-game series.
The Yankees, 6-4 in their last 10 games and 3-2 in their current homestand, are looking to avoid a second straight loss after falling to the New York Mets 8-5 yesterday.
The Rays, who are on a nine-game road trip, visit Yankee stadium after winning two of three against the Toronto Blue Jays. Although they lost the series finale, the Rays have gone 4-2 in their last six games.
Although the Yankees roster is banged-up with injuries, rookie Miguel Andujar continues to be their sparkplug at the plate. The rookie, who looks to stay hot against the Rays, has homered in four of his last seven games and has at least one RBI in five consecutive games.
In Game 1 on Tuesday night J.A. Happ (12-6, 4.07 ERA) will get the starting nod against the Rays Hunter Wood (0-0, 3.91 ERA). Happ has been very reliable for the Bombers. In two starts with the Yankees, he’s gone 2-0 with 11 Ks and a 3.00 ERA.
In Game 2 on Wednesday night Luis Cessa (1-2, 4.50 ERA) will take the plate against Ryan Yarbrough (10-5, 4.16 ERA). In his last start against Tampa Bay on July 25 the right-handed Cessa gave up just two runs and four hits in 5.1 innings pitched.
Masahiro Tanaka (9-3, 4.08 ERA) will start on Thursday during the series finale against Blake Snell (13-5, 2.18 ERA). The Japanese flamethrower had one of his finest starts as a Yankee the last time he faced Tampa Bay as he threw a complete game shutout on July 24 at Tropicana Field. That night he struck out nine batters while allowing just three hits as he earned his eighth win of the season.
The Yankees, winners of five of their last seven games, will look to keep rolling against the Rays in the Bronx as they try to gain some ground on the division-leading Red Sox and retain their position as the top Wild Card in the American League.
