Tonight at 7:0ET at Tropicana Field, A.J. Burnett (8-17, 415 ERA) toes the rubber for the Pinstripers while unbeaten Alex Cobb (2-0, 3.41) climbs the bump for the Rays. Burnett got the opening nod in the betting odds at (-125) although the money line has moved to -133 with the total holding at 9.

The Rays areing off a deflating 16-inning, 1-0 loss to the Red Sox on Sunday night in which they managed just three hits and had a total of four base runners when installed in the MLB odds as +130 dogs.. Tampa Bay pitching only allowed five hits but Dustin Pedroia had three of them including the game winning single in the top of the 16th off losing pitcher Adam Russell who was TB’s ninth pitcher in the marathon affair. The Rays are now seven games behind Boston after dropping two of three over the weekend. At least the weather will be nice for the arrival of baseball’s “Evil Empire”. Even if as they say the weather outside is frightening the weather inside Tropicana Field should be a delightful 72-74 degrees.

Wee back Hunter

The Yankees capped a long weekend in Toronto beating the Blue Jays 7-2 as Phil Hughes an 18-game winner a year ago, earned his first victory of 2011. Hughes, who had been sidelined since April 14 with a shoulder injury, was making only his second start sinceing off the disabled list. He worked six innings, gave up four hits and two runs to improve his record to 1-2. Brett Gardner had three hits and Curtis Granderson contributed three runs batted New York was able to escape the Rogers Centre with a split of the four-game set.

The Yankees start play 1.5 games behind the first-place Red Sox who will begin a series against the pitching challenged Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

Cobb Salad

He’s best days are ahead of him but rookie Alex Cobb is already turning heads with his early work. He’ll be making his sixth start of the year overall and fourth at the Trop’ where he’s allowed 11 runs in 19 innings and is 1-0 with a no-decision. In his last three starts overall; he’s 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA after allowing four earned runs in 18 innings. He’s beaten Florida and the LA Angels and got a no-decision against Detroit.

Tampa Bay bats needs a boost

The Rays are hitting just .246 over the past week with an on base percentage of .318. Every starter in Sunday’s game took some big collars like Johnny Damon, Reed Brignac and B.J. Upton who each went 0 for 6. The 2-3-4 hitters in the Tampa lineup went abined 1 for 15 with Evan Longoria having the lone hit.

The Yankees remain one of the most potent teams in baseball. They’re first in the majors in home runs (125), second in runs scored (474) and second in runs per game (5.15). Granderson and Mark Texeira have been the best one-two punch in baseball. Granderson has 25 homers and 68 RBI’s while ‘Tex’ has 25 and 66.

Numbers

Tampa Bay is 4-6 in its last ten games and has fallen to 22-23 at home. The Yankees have made hay in the East by going 25-18 on the road

History Buffs

Sunday night’s Red Sox and Rays game was the third longest 1-0 game in MLB history not to mention an eternity for MLB bettors on either side of the game. The official time was 5 hours and 44 minutes the second longest game of the year.

 Harvey’s Take: I’m looking in no other direction except the ‘under’. The Yankees are 24-15-4 to the under on the roadpared to the Rays 31-13 under mark at home. For bettors on the run line you’ve got two solid choices tonight. The Rays are 16-29 while the Yankees are 27-16.

 

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