Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees live streaming news reviews schedule products online radio commentry may 16, 2011. Game Review: The Tampa Bay Rays feel facing the New York Yankees for the first time in 2011 isn't a big deal.
That may be because the AL East leaders have a more pressing concern in trying to solve their sluggish performances at Tropicana Field.
6:40 PM ET, May 16, 2011
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
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David Price attempts to keep the Rays from another home losing streak while the Yankees are looking to avoid their longest slide in over four years when the division foes meet Monday night.
Tampa Bay (23-17) is atop the division by two games on New York (20-18), and a two-game set would appear to give them a chance to widen that gap. The Rays, however, feel otherwise.
"It's so early in the season that it's not that big of a series," second baseman Ben Zobrist told the team's official website. "We treat every series the same. I know that sounds boring, but that's just the way that it is right now.
New York Yankees Sterling Silver ''YANKEES'' Home Plate Pendant
"If we start treating a team a little bit different than the other, we inevitably are going to have letdown games."
The Rays are already having letdowns with a 10-12 home record after losing the last two of a three-game weekend series with Baltimore, falling 9-3 Sunday.
They've failed to score more than five runs in any of their 22 home games, becoming the first team with that dubious distinction since the Brooklyn Superbas in the first 26 games of 1908.
"It's no fun," manager Joe Maddon said. "I've really tried to analyze it and think it all the way through, and I have no idea. It's just strange."
Price (5-3, 3.12 ERA) will try to help Tampa Bay avoid a third straight loss at home, where he's 2-2 with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 30 in 28 innings over four starts. The left-hander allowed no earned runs in both victories.
He was terrific again Wednesday, yielding two runs while fanning seven in eight innings of an 8-2 win at Cleveland.
"You want to go out there and throw your game no matter who you are facing," Price said.
He's 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in eight games against the Yankees, going 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three at Tropicana Field with each resulting in Tampa Bay victories.
Price and the Rays may also benefit from facing a struggling Yankees team that was swept by Boston in a three-game weekend series at home, losing 7-5 Sunday. New York has lost five straight and nine of 12.
Another loss would give New York its longest skid since a seven-game slide April 20-27, 2007.
"It seems like when things are going bad, they're going bad," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're going to turn it around."
The Yankees hope A.J. Burnett (4-2, 3.38) can continue his road dominance of the Rays. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA over his last nine starts at Tropicana Field, winning four in a row.
Burnett was erratic Wednesday, allowing a solo homer while walking five, hitting a batter and striking out six in seven innings of a 4-3, 11-inning loss to Kansas City.
"The bottom line is you don't want to walk guys and put guys on, but you have to make the pitches," Burnett said.
The Yankees may opt to sit Jorge Posada against Price since he's 1 for 18 in the matchup. Posada is batting .165 this season and is 0 for 24 against lefties.
He appears to have put a public spat with the team behind him after refusing to bat ninth for Saturday's 6-0 loss to the Red Sox. Posada apologized to Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman on Sunday.
The Yankees have committed 13 errors in 10 games, one more than they had through the first 28 contests.
That may be because the AL East leaders have a more pressing concern in trying to solve their sluggish performances at Tropicana Field.
6:40 PM ET, May 16, 2011
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
David Price attempts to keep the Rays from another home losing streak while the Yankees are looking to avoid their longest slide in over four years when the division foes meet Monday night.
Tampa Bay (23-17) is atop the division by two games on New York (20-18), and a two-game set would appear to give them a chance to widen that gap. The Rays, however, feel otherwise.
"It's so early in the season that it's not that big of a series," second baseman Ben Zobrist told the team's official website. "We treat every series the same. I know that sounds boring, but that's just the way that it is right now.
New York Yankees Sterling Silver ''YANKEES'' Home Plate Pendant
Pitching Matchup
| New York | Tampa Bay | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | A.J. Burnett 4-2, 3.38 ERA Last appearance: 5/11 vs KC 7.0 IP, 1 ER Dec = ND |  | David Price 5-3, 3.12 ERA Last appearance: 5/11 at CLE 8.0 IP, 2 ER Dec = Win |
"If we start treating a team a little bit different than the other, we inevitably are going to have letdown games."
The Rays are already having letdowns with a 10-12 home record after losing the last two of a three-game weekend series with Baltimore, falling 9-3 Sunday.
They've failed to score more than five runs in any of their 22 home games, becoming the first team with that dubious distinction since the Brooklyn Superbas in the first 26 games of 1908.
"It's no fun," manager Joe Maddon said. "I've really tried to analyze it and think it all the way through, and I have no idea. It's just strange."
Price (5-3, 3.12 ERA) will try to help Tampa Bay avoid a third straight loss at home, where he's 2-2 with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 30 in 28 innings over four starts. The left-hander allowed no earned runs in both victories.
He was terrific again Wednesday, yielding two runs while fanning seven in eight innings of an 8-2 win at Cleveland.
"You want to go out there and throw your game no matter who you are facing," Price said.
He's 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in eight games against the Yankees, going 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three at Tropicana Field with each resulting in Tampa Bay victories.
Price and the Rays may also benefit from facing a struggling Yankees team that was swept by Boston in a three-game weekend series at home, losing 7-5 Sunday. New York has lost five straight and nine of 12.
Another loss would give New York its longest skid since a seven-game slide April 20-27, 2007.
"It seems like when things are going bad, they're going bad," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're going to turn it around."
The Yankees hope A.J. Burnett (4-2, 3.38) can continue his road dominance of the Rays. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA over his last nine starts at Tropicana Field, winning four in a row.
Burnett was erratic Wednesday, allowing a solo homer while walking five, hitting a batter and striking out six in seven innings of a 4-3, 11-inning loss to Kansas City.
"The bottom line is you don't want to walk guys and put guys on, but you have to make the pitches," Burnett said.
The Yankees may opt to sit Jorge Posada against Price since he's 1 for 18 in the matchup. Posada is batting .165 this season and is 0 for 24 against lefties.
He appears to have put a public spat with the team behind him after refusing to bat ninth for Saturday's 6-0 loss to the Red Sox. Posada apologized to Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman on Sunday.
The Yankees have committed 13 errors in 10 games, one more than they had through the first 28 contests.
Evan Longoria Autographed Jersey Details: Tampa Bay Rays, Replica
