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Yankees look to get bats going against Rays

Apr 4, 2008 - 12:19 PM Tampa Bay (1-1) at New York Yankees (2-1) 7:05 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) - The New York Yankees highly-touted offense is off to a slow start in 2008. Perhaps a visit from the Tampa Bay Rays will help.

The Yankees continue their season-opening seven-game homestand when they host the Rays in the first game of a four-game series on Friday.

New York scored a major league-high 968 runs last season, but managed just eight runs in a three-game series against Toronto. However, the Yankees posted a pair of 3-2 wins in the opener on Monday and finale on Thursday to take the three-game series.

Bobby Abreu delivered a RBI bloop single in the eighth inning on Thursday to snap a 2-2 tie and send New York to its second win of the season.

In the series opener on Friday, the Yankees will turn to Ian Kennedy, who will make his fourth career start.

The 23-year-old righthander went 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in three starts as a September call-up last season, claiming his lone win against the Rays.

Tampa Bay, which lost 9-6 in its last game on Wednesday to Baltimore, will counter with Andy Sonnanstine, who had a 6-10 record with a 5.85 ERA last season.

The righthander, originally scheduled to take the mound on Thursday before rain postponed the series finale against the Orioles, struggled early in his rookie campaign, but finished strong with a 5-2 record over his last nine starts.