Tampa Bay @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 2, NY Yankees 3

After failing to record a walk-off win this season, the New York Yankees have done precisely that in each of the first two contests of the three-game series versus the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees will vie for the sweep when they conclude their set against their visiting American League East rival on Sunday afternoon.

Mark Teixeira blasted a three-run homer and an RBI single in New York's 7-5 series-opening victory in 12 innings on Friday before his leadoff double in the ninth helped the team to a 3-2 triumph the following day. The slugger leads his club with 20 homers and also went deep for his lone career hit versus Sunday starter Erasmo Ramirez. While division-leading New York opened its six-game homestand in style, Tampa Bay is batting .182 (42-for-231) while losing a season-high seven in a row. Manager Kevin Cash refused to make more of his team's troubles, saying, "If there was any question that we were in a bad funk coming into the game, we solidified that with today's (performance)."

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SUN (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Erasmo Ramirez (6-3, 4.01 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Ivan Nova (1-1, 1.50)

Ramirez suffered his first loss since May 24 on Tuesday, allowing one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-2 setback to Cleveland. The 25-year-old Nicaraguan looks to rebound versus New York, against which he yielded just one hit over five scoreless frames to pick up the win in a 6-1 triumph on May 14. New York's Chase Headley is 6-for-14 in his last three games, but is 0-for-10 in his career versus Ramirez.

After scattering three hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut versus Philadelphia on June 24, Nova suffered a hard-luck setback in his next outing six days later. The 28-year-old Dominican permitted two solo homers in 5 1/3 innings to suffer a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Nova has lost four consecutive decisions to the Rays, including a disheartening performance in his last meeting as he was blitzed for eight runs on as many hits in four innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York SS Didi Gregorius is 5-for-10 in his last three games.

2. Tampa Bay DH Joey Butler is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts in the first two contests of the series.

3. Yankees LHP Andrew Miller (forearm), who is on the disabled list since June 11, tossed a 30-pitch bullpen session prior to Saturday's contest.

PREDICTION: Yankees 3, Rays 1