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The red-hot Tampa Bay Rays (9-10) will host the New York Yankees (10-8), Tuesday night, for the second of three games at Tropicana Field as they hope to get back to .500. After returning home from a disastrous 2-7 road-trip, the Rays have won four straight and send their ace, David Price, to the mound - still looking for his first win of the season.
Price has yet to resemble his Cy Young-winning form from last season, as he has started the season 0-1 with a 6.26 ERA. However, a 4.93 FIP and an ugly 69% left-on-base percentage suggests he may be ready for some positive regression. The Yankees may be just the medicine Price needs as they struggle mightily against left-handed pitchers, hitting just .195/.266/.303 against southpaws with more strikeouts (54) than hits (42).
Opposing Price will be Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes who has also had his share of struggles in the early season, going 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA and missing one start with a back injury. Hughes is giving up a whopping 3.21 home-runs per nine in the early going which bodes well for the Rays as they have been going deep in bunches in the past week.
Fresh of his 3-4, 2 HR game, Ryan Roberts again sits in the two hole and Kelly Johnson will DH, batting ninth. James Loney gets the start at first base, where Sean Rodriguez played the night before.
For the Yankees, Kevin Youkilis will miss his second-straight game with lower back stiffness.
Yankees Lineup: Brett Gardner CF, Eduardo Nunez SS, Robinson Cano 2B, Vernon Wells LF, Ben Francisco DH, Lyle Overbay 1B, Chris Stewart C, Ichiro Suzuki RF, Jayson Nix 3B
Rays Lineup: Desmond Jennings CF, Ryan Roberts 2B, Ben Zobrist RF, Evan Longoria 3B, Matt Joyce LF, Yunel Escobar SS, James Loney 1B, Jose Molina C, Kelly Johnson DH