Yankees at Rays
Alex Rodriguez looks to continue his power surge when his New York Yankees visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday in the second of a three-game set. Rodriguez has belted three homers in the last two contests, including a pair to go along with the go-ahead RBI single in a 5-4 victory on Friday that pulled him within two home runs of Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time major-league list with 658.
Stephen Drew also homered for the third time in five games Friday for the Yankees, who snapped a two-game slide and will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to try and win their first series of the season. The Rays saw their momentum halted after winning five of their previous six contests. Third baseman Evan Longoria, who has not homered since Opening Day and owns only two RBIs for Tampa Bay, was the designated hitter one day after being drilled in the hip by a pitch. Jake Odorizzi gets the start for the Rays after two dominant outings.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (1-1, 7.00 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (2-0, 0.61)
Tanaka allowed four runs (three earned) and four hits over five innings to beat Boston in his last outing after giving up five runs (four earned) in four innings during his season debut. The Japanese standout was sidelined by an elbow injury for more than two months last season, finishing 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA, and decided against Tommy John surgery. Desmond Jennings homered last season versus Tanaka, who permitted three runs over seven innings to win his only appearance against the Rays.
Odorizzi has been outstanding in his first two starts while limiting his opponents to one run, four hits and three walks over 14 2/3 innings to beat Baltimore and Toronto. The 25-year-old looks to be more consistent this season after he finished 11-13 with 174 strikeouts over 168 innings and went 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in four starts versus the Yankees in 2014. Catcher Brian McCann has been a nemesis for Odorizzi, going 5-for-10 with a pair of home runs against him.
WALK OFFS
1. Tampa Bay INF Logan Forsythe is 7-for-16 with a homer in the last four contests.
2. New York LHP Andrew Miller has allowed one hit and struck out nine in five innings while picking up three saves, including one on Friday.
3. Rays OF Steven Souza Jr. had two hits Friday and is 8-of-20 with two homers and six RBIs his last five outings.