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Rays-Yankees Preview

Sep 8, 2009 - 4:13 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Tampa Bay (72-64) at New York (87-50), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays are doing a good job of making sure Derek Jeter doesn't make history at their expense. They just haven't done a good job of beating the New York Yankees in the process.

Jeter continues his quest to surpass Lou Gehrig as the franchise's all-time hits leader Tuesday night when the Yankees and Rays continue a four-game set.

It appeared that Jeter could break Gehrig's mark Monday in a day-night doubleheader against Tampa Bay (72-66). He needed four hits to top the 2,721 compiled by the "Iron Horse" for baseball's most successful franchise.

But the Yankee captain went 0 for 8 with a walk in the two games. It didn't slow down New York, which swept the first doubleheader at the new Yankee Stadium by scores of 4-1 and 11-1.

"You think about it, because that's all you're hearing about, especially when you're on deck," said Jeter, who received big ovations from the crowd during every at-bat.

Jeter - still hitting .400 in his last 27 games - has a home run in four career at-bats against David Price (7-7, 4.75 ERA), who will start Tuesday for the Rays.

New York (89-50) has won 11 of 14 and is 39 games over .500 for the first time since 2004. The Yankees have matched their win total from 2008 and own a season-high nine-game AL East lead over Boston. They are 6 1/2 games ahead of the Angels for the best record in the AL.

While Jeter had a difficult day, Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira went 4 for 8 with two homers, four runs and four RBIs. Teixeira is batting .333 with four homers and 11 RBIs in seven home games against the Rays in 2009.

The Rays got bad news when slugger Carlos Pena broke two fingers when he was hit by a pitch from CC Sabathia in the opener and was ruled out for the season. Pena leads the AL with 39 homers and finished with 100 RBIs.

"I was crushed," Pena said. "It felt like you had taken my heart, thrown it around and stepped on it. That hurt more than the hit by pitch itself. I was really very much looking forward to the next three weeks."

The Yankees will look to improve to 3-0 in games started by Chad Gaudin (1-0, 4.08), who allowed three runs over 3 2-3 innings Thursday in a 10-5 victory at Toronto.

The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.61 ERA in four career appearances - two starts - against the Rays.

Long reliever Alfredo Aceves could factor into Tuesday's game since he has won both of Gaudin's starts this year as part of his major league-leading 10 victories as a reliever. Aceves is 10-1 with a 3.88 ERA.

Price has alternated wins and losses in his last six outings for the Rays. He gave up four runs over 5 1-3 innings Thursday in a 6-3 loss to Boston.

This will be Price's second career start against the Yankees after he yielded three runs over 5 2-3 innings and did not get a decision June 6 in a 9-7 victory.

The left-hander allowed one run over 7 1-3 innings Aug. 29 to earn a 3-1 win at Detroit in his last road start. Price went 0-4 with an 8.07 ERA in his first seven road outings.