The Tampa Bay Rays have had a remarkable season, one that could result in the franchise's first postseason appearance.
Beating the New York Yankees, however, remains a problem.
The Rays hope to avoid being swept at home in a three-game series for the first time this season on Thursday night against the Yankees, winners of a season-high six straight on the road.
Tampa Bay (84-53) has held the top spot in the AL East since July 18 and appeared to be headed toward a division title. Back-to-back losses to New York (75-64), however, have cut the Rays' lead over surging Boston to three games with Tampa Bay and Boston still to meet six times this month.
Owning the majors' best home record (52-21) is one reason whey the Rays have far exceeded expectations. They have been swept at Tropicana Field only once this season -- a two-game series against the Yankees on April 14-15.
Before losing the first two games of this series, Tampa Bay had won 12 series and split another since the All-Star break. The Rays are 5-9 this season against the Yankees, one of only two AL teams (Cleveland) they have a losing record against.
"I think all of us here have learned and we understand how important it is for us to stay within ourselves and just keep our minds focused on what's going to benefit us," first baseman Carlos Pena told the Rays' official Web site.
Robinson Cano, Ivan Rodriguez and Jason Giambi had RBI doubles off starter Edwin Jackson, and Tampa Bay managed only one hit after the fifth inning in New York's 8-4 win Wednesday.
Alex Rodriguez homered for the second straight game, his 31st of the season and 549th of his career, moving him ahead of Mike Schmidt for sole possession of 12th place on the all-time list.
Rodriguez is 11-for-24 (.458) with three homers and 11 RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.
"We're scoring early and we're having really good at-bats," Rodriguez told the Yankees' official Web site. "The team is playing with a lot of confidence, and we're treating every at-bat like it's our last. Right now, we're hanging by a thread. We're playing every game like it's do or die."
His hot bat, however, hasn't helped the Yankees gain any ground in the wild-card race as they remain seven games behind Boston.
Tampa Bay looks to get back on track behind Scott Kazmir (10-6, 3.13 ERA), who is 6-1 with a 2.30 and boasts a stingy .191 opponent batting average in 11 home starts.
He has led the Rays to victory in seven of his last eight starts overall, including Friday as he tossed 5 1-3 scoreless innings, scattering three hits and fanning six in a 14-3 home win over Baltimore.
The left-hander -- 3-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 11 career appearances against New York -- has compiled a 1.64 ERA in splitting two starts versus the Yankees this season. He fanned nine in five innings, but gave up two runs and five hits in a 5-0 loss in New York on July 8.
Kazmir will be countered by Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.08), who went 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA in six August appearances -- five of them starts.
The right-hander hasn't received a decision in his last three outings, including Saturday, when he allowed four earned runs and six hits in six innings of a 7-6 home loss to Toronto.
Though Rasner has never started versus the Rays, he has pitched 4 1-2 innings of relief in two career appearances against them. He hasn't faced them since Sept. 24, 2006 in Tampa Bay.