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Jeter set to resume 3,000-hit chase in Yanks-Rays clash

Jul 9, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - It appears Mother Nature wasn't interested in Derek Jeter's pursuit of history.

After rain caused last night's tilt between the Yankees and Rays in New York to be postponed, Jeter will continue his quest for 3,000 hits this afternoon in the second of what is now a three-game weekend series at Yankee Stadium.

Jeter remains two hits shy of the milestone that has been reached by just 27 players in major league history.

While four members of the 3,000-hit club played for the Yankees at some point in their careers -- Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, Paul Waner and Dave Winfield -- no player has achieved the feat while wearing pinstripes.

The Yankees wanted to play a day/night doubleheader today, but the Rays weren't willing to do so. Therefore, Friday's scheduled contest will be made up on September 22, which was a mutual off day.

"The decision for us wanting to do a split had nothing to do with Derek Jeter," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "It had to do with business reasons, it had to do with the All-Star break. From the baseball operations standpoint, you'd get the split, play tomorrow night. It's fan friendly, it's Jeter friendly, it's team friendly."

The decision to reschedule the rainout in September means Jeter has Saturday and Sunday to achieve his milestone before a home crowd. Following the All- Star break, the Yankees embark on an eight-game road trip with four games against Toronto and the Rays.

"Unfortunately with that game being lost, we do get a chance to do two more," Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson said. "He'll be in there tomorrow and ready to attack it."

Jeter is slated to take his first swings at the milestone tonight against David Price, and the Tampa Bay hurler is undoubtedly eager to get the ball after suffering his first road loss since May 21 last time out. Price permitted four runs on five hits in six innings against the Twins on Monday, and he is now 8-7 with a 3.56 ERA. The standout lefty has 122 strikeouts in 124 innings and has walked just 23 batters.

Price did not figure in the decision of his only start against the Yankees so far this season, and he is 3-1 lifetime versus New York with a 3.88 ERA.

Slated to oppose Price is Yankee hurler A.J. Burnett, who enters this tilt with the same record (8-7) as his counterpart. Burnett, who owns a 4.12 ERA, allowed just four hits in seven innings against Cleveland on Monday, but he did surrender four earned runs in that tilt and was saddled with the loss.

Burnett was hammered by Tampa in a start earlier this season, but he still owns a 12-8 lifetime record against the Rays with a 3.36 ERA.

While Jeter is likely to be in the lineup tonight, both he and teammate Alex Rodriguez pulled out of Tuesday's All-Star on Friday. Jeter does not want to risk re-injuring his right calf, an ailment that recently landed him on the disabled list, while Rodriguez has a sore right knee that was bad enough to warrant an MRI on Friday.

Rodriguez was not in the lineup on Friday before the rainout due to his injury, which he first suffered on June 19 while running the bases.

The Yankees are 16 games over .500, yet they still trail the Red Sox by one game for supremacy in the AL East.

As for Tampa Bay, it is four games back of Boston in the division.

The Rays have taken two of three from the Yanks this season.