The Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees open up a four-game series Thursday night at Yankee Stadium

Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees

Tampa Bay enters a very critical portion of its scheduled Thursday in playing the first of 11 straight games against New York and Boston.  “We want to go back to the playoffs and we expect to win the division again,” Rays manager Joe Maddon commented.  The Rays avoided being swept for the first time in a series of three games or more last night by tallying a 12-5 victory in Minnesota.  The 12 runs marked the fourth time this season that the club has reached double digits offensively.  Third baseman Evan Longoria also got into the act, hitting a home run and knocking in four runs, after hitting just .115 in his previous seven games.  Tampa Bay is 27-18 on the road this season and 15-12 when facing divisional opponents.

Rays starting pitcher Jeff Niemann will be making his 10th start of the season and enters with a 4-5 record and 5.05 ERA.  He earned a 5-1 win in his last outing versus St. Louis, which was also his 30th career win.  It also served as his first career win allowing nine or more hits.  Niemann is 2-1 with a 4.34 ERA in four starts on the road compared to a 1-3 mark and 5.53 ERA in five outings at home.  The right-hander will be making his fifth career appearance versus the Yankees, going 2-0 with a 3.74 ERA, including a 1-0 mark and 3.78 ERA in three outings at tonight’s venue.

New York sits atop the American League East standings, but nobody is concerned with that at the moment due to All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter being three hits shy of 3,000 for his career.  “I’m looking forward to it,” Jeter stated after Wednesday’s 5-3 loss in Cleveland.  “I wanted more today, but that wasn’t the case.”  The Yankees have been playing tremendous baseball in returning home before the All-Star break, posting an 18-7 mark since June 10.  Over that particular stretch, the offense has been averaging nearly six runs a game (5.79) and hitting .283.  The club will be playing its first of nine home games versus Tampa Bay tonight, as it brings in a dominating 75-34 all-time home record in the series.

Yankees starting pitcher Bartolo Colon is a solid 6-3 with a 2.88 ERA in 14 outings (11 starts) this season and will be searching for his fifth consecutive win.  The right-hander tallied a 5-2 road victory over the Mets on July 2, tossing six scoreless innings without issuing a walk and registering six strikeouts.  Colon is an even 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA in six home appearances (four starts), allowing opponents to hit for a .236 average.  In 18 previous starts versus the Rays, the former Cy Young Award winner has recorded a 9-2 record and 3.63 ERA.

Bettors will be interested in backing the Rays due toe their 12-5 mark in Niemann’s last 17 road starts, while the Yankees are 27-29 at night