AP Sports Preview

Rays at Yankees

NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Rays look to extend their recent mastery of the New York Yankees on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, where a three-game series finale is expected to be played under rainy, 53-degree conditions.

Tampa Bay (34-15) has won the first two games of the series, including a 4-2 victory Friday that featured a strong start from Nick Martinez. Manager Kevin Cash will turn to right-hander Drew Rasmussen (4-1) for the series finale. Rasmussen has been effective this season, though the Rays have listed two probable pitchers for the game, with Will Warren (6-1) also reported as a possibility.

The Yankees (30-22) will counter with right-hander Gerrit Cole, who pitched well in Friday’s loss, allowing no earned runs over six innings with two strikeouts. Cole had been scheduled to face the same Rays lineup in a game that was suspended Saturday with the score 0-0 and will be completed later in the season.

Martinez has been a key contributor to Tampa Bay’s recent success. In five starts since April 28, the right-hander has posted a 1.29 ERA over 29 2/3 innings, allowing only three earned runs. His most recent outing came Friday against the Yankees.

For New York, center fielder Trent Grisham went 3 for 5 in Friday’s loss while second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. added two hits and an RBI. The Yankees have lost four of their last five games overall.

The Rays have won five consecutive meetings with the Yankees dating to April, when they swept a three-game series at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay has taken seven of the last nine matchups overall.

Sunday’s game marks the final matchup between the teams until a four-game series scheduled for July 9-12 at Yankee Stadium.

Tampa Bay’s offense has been potent all season, averaging 5.2 runs per game. The Yankees counter with a pitching staff that owns a 3.85 ERA but has struggled against the Rays’ lineup.

Interstat’s game simulator projects an 8-4 Tampa Bay victory. The Yankees have been installed as pregame favorites with a spread of minus-1.5, while the over-under for total runs is 7.5.

The Rays begin a three-game series at Baltimore on Monday before returning home to host the Los Angeles Angels starting May 29. The Yankees open a three-game set at Kansas City on Monday before traveling to face the Athletics in beginning May 29.