The Tampa Bay Rays are comfortable waiting for the late innings to pull off comebacks, and they certainly are at ease in those situations against the New York Yankees.
After pulling off another late rally in the series opener, the Rays attempt to widen their American League East lead Saturday afternoon when they visit the Yankees, though weather may be an issue.
The Rays are on a five-game winning streak and have 22 wins in their past 26 games since a 12-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 21. Tampa Bay trailed the Yankees by two games in the division after that game but heads into Saturday with a 5 1/2-game lead.
“It’s great,” Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez said of the division advantage after his team’s 4-2 win at New York on Friday. “It’s early, but it’s still a big series. They’re a very good team, and to get the first one is huge for us.”
Heavy rain is forecast for Saturday, and the projection is not promising for Sunday. The teams share a mutual day off on Sept. 21 before a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
If the Rays can get the Saturday game in, they will attempt to keep putting pressure on the Yankees. Tampa Bay has won each of the teams’ first four meetings, all by two runs or one.
Tampa Bay enters Saturday with 14 comeback victories after scoring four times in the eighth inning on Friday to erase a 1-0 deficit. The Rays earned their previous victory after scoring four times in the eighth inning of a 5-3 decision against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.
“We’re a grindy team,” Martinez said. “We’re going to scrap our way in it.”
Jonathan Aranda is hitting .338 (22-for-65) with 13 RBIs in his past 18 games after delivering a tying double in the eighth on Friday. Richie Palacios is hitting .394 (13-for-33) with nine RBIs over his past 10 games after contributing a go-ahead two-run single.
The Yankees have just four wins their past 14 games and have been held to three runs or fewer nine times in that span. During the past three games, New York scored three runs total while going 3-for-22 (.136) with runners in scoring position.
On Friday, the Yankees managed 11 hits, the third time during their 4-10 slide that they finished with double-digit hits.
“I thought we swung the bats well tonight,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “This was not the last couple of nights where we really struggled. We didn’t have too much to show for it, but I was encouraged with what I saw.”
Aaron Judge has no homers and no RBIs in his past 11 games. He is 1-for-23 slump over the past six games after going 0-for-4 on Friday and ending the contest with a flyout to center field.
Drew Rasmussen (4-1, 3.19 ERA) will pitch for the Rays on Saturday and attempt to win a third straight start. Rasmussen allowed two earned runs or fewer for the sixth time on Sunday in a 6-3 win over the Miami Marlins when he permitted two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Rasmussen is 4-1 with a 1.03 ERA in eight career outings (seven starts) against the Yankees, having beaten then on April 12 with six scoreless innings of one-hit ball. He is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in three career starts at Yankee Stadium.
Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.58 ERA), who is coming off a pair of no-decisions, gets the ball for the Yankees. Weathers pitched on Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays and tied season highs by allowing five runs on seven hits during his 5 1/3 innings.
Weathers will start against the Rays for the second time. Last June 7 for the Miami Marlins, Weathers allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits in three hits during a no-decision.
–Field Level Media
