Tampa Bay @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2012 ) Tampa Bay 3, NY Yankees 5

The New York Yankees continue to cling to their playoff position, alternating wins and losses to keep pace with the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. The Tampa Bay Rays are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive but are running into the rough part of their schedule at the wrong time. The Rays will be looking for their second win in the last six games when they send Matt Moore to the mound in Sunday’s rubber game.

The Rays have played nothing but playoff contenders over the last two weeks, but after taking four of six from the Yankees and the Rangers at home, the road has not been as kind. Tampa Bay was swept by the Orioles and dropped a 5-3 decision on Saturday after winning the opener. Friday’s 6-4 triumph was the only time in the current road trip that the Rays managed more than three runs. The Yankees’ win - coupled with Baltimore’s loss on Saturday - puts them back in first place by one game. Tampa Bay remains three behind the Orioles in the wild card race.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Matt Moore (10-10, 3.68 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Hiroki Kuroda (13-10, 3.17)

Moore has lost his previous three starts and lasted only four innings at Baltimore on Tuesday. The 23-year-old left-hander had put up nine straight quality starts before losing to the Yankees on Sept. 5, when he was knocked around for six runs (four earned) and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Moore has not started at Yankee Stadium since the first start of his career on Sept. 22, 2011. He struck out 11 and allowed four hits in five scoreless innings to earn a win in that outing.

Kuroda has been steady but unspectacular of late, going 1-2 with a 4.39 ERA in his last four turns. The lone win in that stretch came at Tampa Bay opposite Moore on Sept. 5, when Kuroda surrendered four runs on eight hits in six innings and let his offense take care of the rest. He is 1-1 with a 6.17 ERA in two starts against the Rays this season, with six walks in 11 2/3 total innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York CF Curtis Granderson has five home runs in his last six games and is two away from matching his career high (41), which was set last season.

2. The Rays have lost only one game by more than two runs since Aug. 4. Their 26 losses in one-run games are the most in the majors.

3. New York manager Joe Girardi has raised the possibility of activating OF Brett Gardner (elbow) from the disabled list and using him as a pinch runner and bunter.