Rays 4 - 3 Yankees
Final
  for this game

Yanks' Kuroda takes on Rays in the Bronx

Sep 9, 2014 - 2:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Hiroki Kuroda hopes for some run support on Tuesday when the New York Yankees try to keep their fading postseason hopes alive in the opener of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

New York lost two of three to the Kansas City Royals over the weekend and was shutout in the two losses, including a 2-0 setback on Sunday, a day in which the Yankees honored the amazing career of shortstop Derek Jeter.

Former teammates, family members and special guests were in attendance for the nearly 45-minute tribute to Jeter before the game.

"The Yankees know how to put on a big ceremony," said Jeter after the game. "This is a day that I'll remember forever."

Unfortunately, the Yankees couldn't maintain the momentum from the pregame ceremony, as they committed two errors and were 0-for-17 with runners on base in falling for the seventh time in the last 12 games. They are 3-3 on their current nine-game homestand and find themselves five games back of the second wild card spot in the American League.

"We got our last off-day (Monday)," manager Joe Girardi said on Sunday. "And then we got to win a whole lot."

Now the Yankees give the ball to Kuroda, who has been terrific of late, going 3-0 with a 2.36 ERA in his last four starts. He beat Boston on Wednesday and allowed just a run and four hits in seven innings. Kuroda also struck out eight without walking a batter and improved to 10-8 to go along with a 3.78 ERA.

"Every game we play from now on is going to be a must-win for us, so I wanted to shift the momentum," Kuroda said through an interpreter.

Tampa will counter with lefty Chris Archer, who has dominated the Yankees over the course of his young career, posting a perfect 4-0 mark to go along with a 1.51 ERA in five starts.

"I really enjoy being at Yankee Stadium," Archer said. "I never got to go to the old one, but the new one is special to me. It's just a great ballpark, the staff that works there is awesome, and the playing conditions are pristine. So it's always a good time to go there. I think there's a lot of history to be made in the new one, so I'm just happy to be a part of that."

Archer, though, has allowed 13 earned runs on 20 hits in his past 10 innings, suffering two consecutive defeats. He is 8-8 on the season with a 3.60 ERA.

Tampa has lost four of its last six, but took two of three from the AL East- leading Baltimore Orioles over the weekend. The Rays, though, were unable to complete the sweep on Sunday and lost, 7-5, in 11 innings.

Cesar Ramos (2-6) took the loss after allowing a game-winning two-run home run to Nelson Cruz.

"You can look at that last inning and see that home run, but we had many opportunities," said Rays manager Joe Maddon.

Meanwhile, on the milestone front, Jeter's next two games will tie him with Mel Ott (New York Giants) for most games played with one team all-time at 2,730.

Tampa has won eight of its 13 matchups with the Yankees this season.






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