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Rays-Yankees Preview

Jun 6, 2009 - 10:59 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Tampa Bay (28-28) at New York (32-22), 1:05 p.m. EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays found a way to knock around the New York Yankees' high-priced ace and legendary closer while improving to 3-0 at the new Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees are hoping a former reliever turned potential future ace can squash the Rays' success in the Bronx.

Joba Chamberlain has never given up a run to the Rays but he also hasn't started against them, something he'll get a chance to do Sunday afternoon as he tries to halt Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak when the teams continue a rain-shortened three-game set in New York.

Tampa Bay (29-28) made its second trip to the Yankees' new digs feeling good after completing a three-game sweep of Kansas City that put the defending AL champs back to .500.

Rain Friday night pushed the matchup between New York's CC Sabathia and Rays rookie David Price back a day, but neither pitcher dominated Saturday. Tampa Bay scored five runs - four earned - off Sabathia over eight innings in a game that entered the ninth tied at 5-all.

The Rays did even more damage to Mariano Rivera, knocking the nine-time All-Star out after he allowed four runs and recorded just two outs. Tampa Bay went on to win 9-7 despite New York (32-23) getting homers from Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez.

"I think anytime you do something against a closer and you do it in recent memory, it gives you a little bit of confidence," said Ben Zobrist, who opened the ninth with a triple.

Rivera has two losses this season, both of which came at home against the Rays when he entered with the score tied in the ninth. After posting a 1.21 ERA in 81 2-3 innings in his first 75 appearances versus Tampa Bay, Rivera is 0-2 with a 33.75 ERA in his last two.

Chamberlain (3-1, 3.71 ERA) has stifled the Rays in seven previous appearances, yielding four hits and striking out seven in 8 1-3 scoreless innings. This will be his first start against Tampa Bay, however, in his first full season in the rotation.

His latest outing was perhaps his best. Chamberlain lasted a season-high eight innings Monday, allowing Cleveland four hits and two runs while striking out five in a 5-2 win.

"All the talk about him and his struggles, his ERA is still pretty good," manager Joe Girardi told the Yankees' official Web site. "Sometimes because of the success that he had out of the bullpen in his career, I think we always expect him to be perfect every inning. But that's not reality."

Chamberlain has been less than spectacular at home so far, going 0-1 with a 5.82 ERA in four starts.

The Rays have enjoyed the new Yankee Stadium, averaging 7.0 runs in their three wins. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria have each gone deep twice in the ballpark that has seen at least one home run in each of its 27 games thus far.

Longoria could return to the lineup Sunday after missing the Rays' past two games with a sore left hamstring. He pinch hit Saturday and was intentionally walked.

Matt Garza (4-4, 3.67) will get the ball for Tampa Bay, and he has a sub-3.00 ERA in his past seven starts. He gave up three runs over seven innings last Sunday against Minnesota, his first start against his former team, but was saddled with a 3-2 loss.

"His strike performance was good again, really good stuff across the board, everything," manager Joe Maddon told the Rays' official Web site. "I thought he looked really sharp today."

Garza gave up two runs over seven innings and struck out nine as the Yankees rallied against the Rays' bullpen for a 7-2 win in St. Petersburg on April 14.