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First-place Rays look to clinch series vs. Yankees

May 14, 2008 - 1:21 PM NY Yankees (19-21) at Tampa Bay (23-16) 7:10 pm EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) - The Tampa Bay Rays have officially clinched the best start in franchise history and will look to pad their effort Wednesday when they host the New York Yankees in the third matchup of a four-game set.

The Rays are seven games over .500 for the first time in the 11-year history of the franchise and have never been in first this deep into the season.

They won in dramatic fashion on Tuesday when Gabe Gross singled in the winning run off Mariano Rivera in the 11th inning, giving the team a 2-1 walk-off victory.

The win extended Tampa Bay's franchise-record home winning streak to 11 games and pushed the club into first place in the American League East, one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox (24-18).

Pitching has been the key to the Rays' success this season, with the staff limiting its opponents to one run or less in nine of its 23 victories.

James Shields (4-2, 3.14 ERA) has been the anchor of the staff and has tossed shutouts in two of his last three starts. The righthander allowed just one hit and no walks while striking out eight against the Angels on Friday.

He suffered a loss at New York on April 6, allowing two runs and eight hits in five innings.

The Yankees will counter veteran Mike Mussina (5-3, 4.36). The veteran righthander has been strong of late, winning each of his last four starts while posting a 3.13 ERA and issuing just two walks in 23 total innings.