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Rolling Rays open final month against reeling Yankees

Sep 2, 2008 - 1:32 PM NY Yankees (73-64) at Tampa Bay (84-51), 7:10 pm EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Staked to a healthy lead in the American League East, the Tampa Bay Rays open a three-game series against the flat-lining New York Yankees on Tuesday at Tropicana Field.

The Rays, 5 1/2 games ahead in the division, have been perpetual cellar dwellers in since joining the league in 1998, but things have changed this year.

"There's not one guy that stands out; it's somebody different almost every night," Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett said to the St. Petersburg Times. "People talk about 'team of destiny' and all that stuff, and I think this is how it happens. It's pitching, defense, a timely hit by somebody different every night."

Now, they are 27 games away from punching the franchise's first ticket to October baseball.

The Yankees, however, have fallen 12 games behind the surging Rays and will need to play nearly perfect baseball to secure their 14th straight postseason appearance.

The one hurler that has kept their season afloat, Mike Mussina (16-7, 3.41 ERA) takes the mound hoping to hand New York its second straight victory.

An offensive explosion helped the Yankees topple Justin Verlander and the lowly Detroit Tigers on Monday, but starter Sidney Ponson failed to hold the opposition at bay.

Ponson, one the many makeshift starters used to ease the sting of not having the services of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and Chien-Ming Wang, surrendered seven runs and nine hits in three innings.

Such efforts remind manager Joe Girardi what this already disappointing season would be like if Mussina wasn't showing he has more gas left in his 39-year-old tank.

The righthander has won five of his last six decisions and has yielded more than three runs twice in his past 10 outings.

Matt Garza (11-7, 3.53) counters for Tampa Bay, which stares at a magic number of 19 to clinch a playoff spot. However, this bout begins a rugged stretch of 19 consecutive games against the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.

Garza has held opponents scoreless in four of his last 10 outings, including two complete-game shutouts.