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Preview: Yankees vs Rays (6/21/13)

David Phelps (4-4, 4.08 ERA) takes on Roberto Hernandez (4-7, 5.02 ERA) and the Tampa Bay Rays in game two of four. Phelps made his Yankees debut last season against the Rays. He still enjoys pitching against them, holding a 2.50 career ERA. Back on May 24 he threw 7 2/3 innings versus the Rays in a 9-4 win. Phelps wasn’t pleased with his most recent outing, against the Angels on Saturday. He allowed four runs over six innings in Anaheim and called it “one of the worst jobs I’ve done all year managing a baseball game. They gave me a lead, and I gave it right back,” Phelps said after the game. “Had a chance to go out in the seventh, threw two pitches and gave up a hit. That’s not going to get it done.”

Hernandez has been a bit unlucky this season, hurt by a low strand rate and 20 percent home run-per-flyball rate. He has a 7.88 career ERA in three starts at Yankee Stadium.

Vernon Wells went 0-7 in Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Dodgers, and 0-3 in Thursday’s series opener. “Obviously, it gets frustrating as long as this has gone on, and we continue to work in the cage in search of things, and I’ve got to get better,” Wells said. He is now 9-90, but manager Joe Girardi still supports the struggling veteran, and he has had Wells in the starting lineup in 15 of 17 games this month.

 

Notes on the game.

Robinson Cano is hitting .407 in 27 career at bats against Hernandez.

The Yankees are 33-1 this season when leading after seven innings.

Todays game is the first time since they faced Jered Weaver in Anaheim last Sunday that the Yankees will face a right handed starting pitcher.

 

Game kicks off at 7:05 PM (EST) on MY9