The Tampa Bay Rays finally snapped their ugly slump at Yankee Stadium, rallying for four runs in the top of the ninth Wednesday night to cap a 4-1 win. The Rays regained a 3 1/2-game lead over New York in the process and look to extend that lead tonight in the finale of their three-game series.

Matt Joyce’s three-run bomb in the ninth helped Tampa Bay snap a three-game losing streak overall, and a win its ninth out of 10 against New York overall.

“It’s always great to come up with a big hit like that, especially against the Yankees,” said Joyce.

The Yankees are finally starting to feel the effects of Mariano Rivera’s absence. David Robertson took over the closer role after Rivera tore his knee up two weeks ago, and hadn’t given up a single run in 13 appearances. But he made a mistake against Joyce and paid for it on a three-run bomb that highlighted the rally.

“It’s the worst feeling in the world,” Robertson told the Associated Press. “You watch when Mo does it, he comes back the next day and he’s the same guy. He goes right back out there, takes the mound and does his thing. I’m going to have to do that (Thursday).”

New York has one of the best lineups in baseball, but no starter has an ERA below 3.75. Tampa Bay has been the opposite, getting great pitching from their starters and scraping enough runs along to stay ahead. David Price has been one of those bright spots and gets the ball tonight. He’s only surrendered three runs in his last 23 2/3 innings with an 8:1 strikeout to walk ratio. The Yankees know it all too well, losing to Price in his first start of the year. He’s a career 5-2 with a 3.96 ERA against the Yankees.

The Rays have won six of his last eight road starts, and all of his last five against teams with winning records.

Meanwhile, New York’s C.C. Sabathia hasn’t been as crisp, but managed to start the year 4-0. With an ERA above four, Sabathia has been good his last two starts, going eight innings both times with a total of four runs surrendered. But he’s 0-4 lifetime against Price, and he didn’t get the decision in another Yankees loss.

Good news for him. His biggest nemesis – third baseman Evan Longoria who is 13 for 33 with five homers lifetime against him – is on the DL.

Part of the reason the Yankees are favored by 1 1/2 runs, according to Bovada’s Rays vs. Yankees Betting Lines, with a -135 moneyline.