Rays at Yankees
The first two games of the series have been as close as can be between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays, with the top two teams in the American League East battling to a draw. The winner of the rubber match on Sunday will take first place into the new week with the Yankees hosting the Rays in the series finale.
Tampa Bay held the lead in the ninth inning in Friday's opener, but closer Jose Alvarado surrendered three runs in a 4-3 setback that turned first place in the East over to New York by a half-game. The Rays went right back to Alvarado on Saturday after Austin Meadows ripped a go-ahead home run in the top of the 11th inning and Alvarado got Gary Sanchez to ground into a game-ending double play, giving Tampa Bay a 2-1 win and another day atop the AL East standings. Rays pitchers aside from Alvarado allowed a total of two runs in the last four games and surging veteran right-hander Charlie Morton will try to keep that roll going on Sunday. The Yankees, who will send right-hander Chad Green at the start of an expected bullpen game in the finale, had a four-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday but have not dropped back-to-back home games since falling to Detroit on April 2 and 3.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Charlie Morton (4-0, 2.32 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Chad Green (0-2, 13.97)
Morton breezed through six scoreless innings at Miami on Tuesday, scattering three hits and striking out five without issuing a walk to earn the win. The veteran had his sinker working and induced a season-high 12 groundballs before being removed for a pinch hitter despite tossing only 82 pitches. Morton made two starts against New York as a member of the Houston Astros last season and went 1-0 while allowing a total of four runs and striking out 20 in 13 2/3 innings.
The Yankees were loosely planning on using Luis Cessa to start the finale before he was pressed into duty in extra innings on Saturday and suffered the loss. Cessa could still see innings on Sunday but the start will go to Green, who is off to a rough start with a total of 16 runs - 15 earned - and 18 hits allowed over 9 2/3 innings scattered across 12 appearances. Green was charged with two runs - one earned - and three hits in an inning of work in Friday's series opener and was in line for the loss before the ninth-inning rally.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees OF Giancarlo Stanton (shoulder) is taking live batting practice and could begin a rehab assignment on Monday.
2. Meadows is 8-for-21 with three homers in his last five games against New York.
3. Tampa Bay 3B Yandy Diaz is 0-for-10 in the series after entering with an eight-game hitting streak.