BRONX – The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are trying to catch the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East race.
In the event neither team can win the division, the preferred alternative would be home-field advantage in the wild-card series.
Holding a three-game lead over their rivals for the top wild card, the host Yankees attempt to clinch the season series from the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series.
The season series is tied at six games apiece after a split of the doubleheader on Saturday. The Red Sox earned a 6-0 win in the first game before the Yankees pulled away for a 9-2 victory on Saturday night.
“Very important,” New York’s Luis Garcia Jr. said through a translator about winning the season series. “We’re battling. We have a clear objective. So every victory is going to be very important for us.”
New York trails the Rays by 4 1/2 games and hosts them in a four-game series next month. The Red Sox are 7 1/2 out and visit the Rays in the prior series from Sept. 18-20.
The Yankees scored once and had seven hits in the first two games of the series before erupting for 13 hits — all singles — in the nightcap.
Ben Rice drove in three runs and is hitting .310 (13-for-42) in his past 11 games.
Garcia, who had three hits in the win, is hitting .429 (15-for-35) with four homers and nine RBIs in his past 10 games.
New York’s offense has scored at least seven runs in four of its past seven games and totaled double-digit hits in four of the last six. The lineup may be without rookie George Lombard Jr., who is day-to-day with right knee discomfort.
The Red Sox are 10-11 in their past 21 games after their 32-5 run got them into a playoff spot.
Boston may be getting some reinforcements to its offense as Roman Anthony and Trevor Story could return from the injured list following lengthy absences.
Anthony has not played since May 4 due to a wrist injury, while Story has missed over three months with a sports hernia.
“I think it’s really important for us to get those guys back — we need them — but it’s also important to recognize the work that the whole lineup has put in the last three months,” Boston’s Willson Contreras said.
“I think those are tough decisions to make, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without them.”
Ranger Suarez (5-3, 3.35 ERA) is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in six starts since returning from a groin strain on July 26. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in five innings during a no-decision in Monday’s 4-2 win at Miami.
“I think it’s really important for us to get those guys back — we need them — but it’s also important to recognize the work that the whole lineup has put in the last three months,” Boston’s Willson Contreras said.
“I think those are tough decisions to make, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without them.”
Ranger Suarez (5-3, 3.35 ERA) is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in six starts since returning from a groin strain on July 26. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in five innings during a no-decision in Monday’s 4-2 win at Miami.