Tampa Bay @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 4, NY Yankees 3

David Price looks to keep alive an impressive strikeout streak when he leads the Tampa Bay Rays into the second of three games at the New York Yankees on Tuesday. Tampa Bay's ace has struck out at least 10 batters in five straight starts, the longest run since Johan Santana did it in 2004 with Minnesota. The last hurler to reach double digits in strikeouts six consecutive times was Arizona's Randy Johnson in 2002, while the last American League pitcher to do so was Boston's Pedro Martinez in 1999.

Price and his cohorts set a major-league record with 287 strikeouts in June, the last nine of which came in a 4-3 win in 12 innings on Monday. The victory pushed Tampa Bay to the verge of its first four-game winning streak since May 22-25 and sent the Yankees to their seventh loss in a span of nine games. New York has been held to three runs or fewer five times during the slump.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (6-7, 3.63 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (5-5, 4.23)

Price has lasted at least eight innings in each of his last four starts to cap a dominant June that saw him post a 2.27 ERA, potentially driving up the price as trade rumors swirl around the former AL Cy Young Award winner. He allowed one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings of a 5-1 win against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Price is 9-5 with a 3.84 ERA in his career against New York, helping Tampa Bay to a win at Yankee Stadium on May 2 with seven strong frames.

Kuroda posted a quality start in four of his five June appearances, including a win at Toronto on Wednesday in which he allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings. He has worked at least six frames in each of his last five home starts and is 21-11 with a 2.95 ERA in 41 outings at Yankee Stadium since coming to New York. The 39-year-old has not experienced similar success against the Rays, going 2-3 with a 6.94 ERA in six career starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Yankees are 3-5 against the Rays this year and have not won a season series since 2009.

2. Rays RF Kevin Kiermaier has homered in three straight games while going 7-for-14.

3. Tampa Bay starters own a 2.90 ERA in their last 22 games.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Yankees 3