Rays send out Snell to get series win vs. Yankees

The Tampa Bay Rays have a chance to become the first team in nearly a month to claim a series from the New York Yankees.

Perhaps the best part for the Rays: They will have their ace on the mound when Blake Snell starts the series finale Sunday afternoon against the Yankees in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Rays are 9-1-2 in series this season and 5-1 in home series. Their only series loss was a three-game sweep by the Boston Red Sox on April 19-21.

Before getting a 7-2 win Saturday, the Rays had lost two one-run games, going 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position.

The Rays are still 10-6 in their past 16 games but have been dealing with bad news. Starting catcher Mike Zunino was lost for at least a month with a left quadriceps injury on Friday, and ace Tyler Glasnow is out four to six weeks with a mild right forearm strain.

"We needed a win," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

"Yesterday was probably the low point of the season. We lost a tough ballgame and also knowing that we're scrambling to find some catchers and that we lost one of the best pitchers in baseball the early part of the season. It was good to see the guys bounce back."

The Yankees haven't lost a series since dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox on April 12-14 at Yankee Stadium.

Snell will make his fourth start since a brief stint on the injured list. After getting shelled for 10 runs (nine earned) in 6 1/3 innings in his first two outings, he retired the first 17 hitters while allowing one hit in six innings on Monday against Arizona.

The left-hander is 3-4 with a 4.37 ERA in 11 career starts against the Yankees. He is 2-0 with a 1.76 ERA in three home starts against New York, but he has never completed six innings in any start against the Yankees.

Since losing two of three to the White Sox, the Yankees are 17-7.

They had a couple of scary moments Saturday.

Luke Voit was hit for the fifth time this season, this time by Yonny Chirinos on the left shoulder in the sixth after DJ LeMahieu homered. Catcher Gary Sanchez was hit on the helmet in the eighth by the backswing of Guillermo Heredia.

Still, Saturday's loss came down to offense, and the Yankees were limited to two runs and five hits. It was the third time in four games they were held to three runs or fewer.

"We've been playing great," LeMahieu said. "We've been playing great baseball. Hopefully, (we'll) come out tomorrow and win the series."

Masahiro Tanaka will start for the Yankees; he is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in his past three starts. He last pitched Tuesday, when he allowed two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against Seattle, throwing a season-high 95 pitches.

Tanaka is 8-4 with a 3.72 ERA in 14 career starts against the Rays. He is 4-3 with a 4.66 ERA in seven career outings in Tampa Bay.

--Field Level Media