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Price, Sabathia square off in the Bronx

Jun 7, 2012 - 2:34 PM (Sports Network) - Two of the best left-handers in baseball square off this evening when CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees close out a three-game series against David Price and the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Sabathia has bounced back nicely from a two-start losing streak and won his second straight start on Friday in Detroit, holding the Tigers to three runs and eight hits in seven innings. He also struck out five and improved to 7-2 on the year to go along with a 3.68 ERA.

"To get us through seven, you look up and he's at 70 pitches through three innings," manager Joe Girardi told the team's official website. "Similar to what he did in Oakland [in his previous start], he really seemed to find his rhythm after."

He has gone at least six innings in all of his starts this season, and at least seven in eight of his last nine.

Sabathia beat the Rays back on May 10 and is 10-7 lifetime against them with a 3.11 ERA in 26 games.

Price, meanwhile, has been even more effective than his counterpart, and comes into tonight's contest sporting a 7-3 mark and a 2.44 ERA. Price was terrific in beating the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, as he scattered four hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings to nail down the win.

Over his last three starts Price has allowed just two runs in 21 1/3 innings, but has just one win to show for it.

Price was beaten by Sabathia in that May 10 encounter and is 5-3 in 15 games (14 starts) versus the Yankees with a 4.15 ERA.

New York's starting pitching has dominated this series so far. After Andy Pettitte tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings in the opener, Ivan Nova followed that up with a terrific effort of his own, as he yielded just one run over eight- plus innings in the Yankees' 4-1 win.

Rafael Soriano recorded the final three outs to cap off his eighth save.

"He pitched in very effectively," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Nova. "He was ahead in the count it seemed like a lot of the night and he allowed his defense to do some work."

Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira hit solo home runs for the Yankees, who have won three straight and five of six.

Alex Cobb (2-2) pitched well before tiring in the eighth, giving up four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk over seven-plus frames. Desmond Jennings finished with two hits in the loss, Tampa's third in four games.

"I don't think anyone in here is really pressing. It is a long year," Rays outfielder B.J. Upton said.

The Yanks have split eight matchups with the Rays this season.