Masahiro Tanaka To Start The Finale As New York Faces Tampa Bay

On Sunday afternoon New York and Tampa Bay who are both members of the American League East will play their finale of their three game series.

New York who is in second place in the division comes into the game with a record of 23-16 while Tampa Bay who is leading the division comes into the game with a record of 24-14.

Masahiro Tanaka will start the finale for New York. The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 2-3 with a earn run average of 3.77. Tanaka is 8-4 with a 3.72 ERA against the Rays in 14 career starts. In his last outing on Tuesday, Tanaka pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, but he did not figure in the decision against the Mariners. He will oppose Tampa Bay left-hander Blake Snell who comes into the game with a record of 3-3 with an earn run average of 3.62. Snell will look to build off one of his best performances of the season, throwing six scoreless innings against the D-backs on Monday. The left-hander is 3-4 with a 4.37 ERA in 11 career starts against the Yankees. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York and Tampa Bay’s previous game, New York lost to Tampa Bay.

In the end New York couldn’t take the lead in their division.

Instead they suffered a 7-2 loss while Tampa Bay extended their lead in the division.

Anytime you're in a game like that and don't finish an inning off the way you can, that's frustrating, but it's also part of it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "We just couldn't get that final out there unfortunately, and then they were able to shut us down." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

It was less that New York couldn't get anything going than it was that the Yankees just couldn't quite finish it off. The biggest squandered opportunity, however, was that with a win, New York would've leapfrogged the Rays into first place in the American League East. Instead, the Yankees will enter Sunday 1 1/2 games back. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

New York had a runner in scoring position in three of the first five innings but capitalized just once, and Tampa Bay didn't permit the Yankees many more chances. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

After not having much luck against Rays opener Ryne Stanek through two innings, the Yankees began to peck away at his replacement, Yonny Chirinos, in the fifth. Gleyber Torres opened the frame with his second hit of the game, then scored from first on Clint Frazier's double to center to bring New York to within 2-1. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

DJ LeMahieu then led off the sixth with a homer, his second of the year, to tie the game. Chirinos responded by sandwiching a double-play groundout between two hit batters but wiggled out of trouble when Torres grounded out to end the threat. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

"We've been playing great," LeMahieu said. "We've been playing great baseball. Hopefully, [we'll] come out tomorrow and win the series." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

CC Sabathia labored throughout his five-inning outing but managed to limit the damage to a pair of home runs, one each to lead off the second and third innings. Sabathia was assisted in large part by the defenders behind him who made sure the Rays' hard contact turned into harmless flyouts.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

During a game in which the left-hander said he "didn't really have good stuff," Sabathia managed to save the bullpen from early action. He allowed three hits, walked a season-high-tying four and struck out two. He threw 76 pitches, 49 for strikes.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

Boone said conversations had begun in the fourth inning about pulling the veteran starter simply because it was obvious Sabathia was without his best tools. He entered for the fifth anyway and rounded out his day on a high note with a seven-pitch frame. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

"I was just trying to battle. That's a good lineup," Sabathia said. "I was just trying to make pitches and try and get us back in the dugout to score some runs." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

Tampa Bay took the lead for good on consecutive two-out singles in the sixth off reliever Jonathan Holder. Yandy Diaz, who homered in the third, hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the final margin. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays

First pitch is set for 1:10pm from Tropicana Field. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Sun, Yes and Major League Baseball Network.