NEW YORK — When Gary Sanchez reached base after snapping a lengthy skid with a bases-clearing double Steelers Elite Jerseys , he reacted as if a significant weight was lifted off his shoulders. This has been the worst stretch of Sanchez’s 234-game career, and while he still is slumping to the tune of four hits in his last 59 at-bats, the New York Yankees are hoping their catcher gets rolling. After ending a 0-for-17 slide Friday, Sanchez looks to help the Yankees to a third straight win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees (45-20) are 12-3 in their last 15 games after a 5-0 win on Friday. Sanchez grounded out three times before following an intentional walk to Giancarlo Stanton with a double to right field off Jonny Venters. “It definitely felt great,” Sanchez said through an interpreter. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to contribute.” Sanchez’s hit ended his night at .188. His average has dropped from .231 in his last 17 games. Since his average peaked, Sanchez has driven in five runs. “Honestly, with Gary, I really feel like it’s every at-bat, it could be turning around 49ers Elite Jerseys ,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I feel like he’s close, he’s fighting it, wanting it so bad.” Sanchez might be the designated hitter Saturday since it’s a day game after a night game, but if he catches, he will be helping Luis Severino attempt to get to his 10th win. Severino (9-2, 2.27 ERA)is pitching one day before the 40th anniversary of Ron Guidry’s team-record 18-strikeout game against the Los Angeles Angels. On Thursday, Guidry said he believed Severino could be the one to break the mark. “He’s got the ability to push 20, 21,” Guidry said. “I sit down Seahawks Elite Jerseys , and we watch a lot — my wife and I — we watch a lot of games. And I’ve already told her that he’s going to have a night.” Maybe so, but when presented with Guidry’s praise, Severino was modest about it and conceded “there was no chance.” “It gives me confidence but to strike out 18 people in a game, that’s a lot of strikeouts,” Severino said. He already has amassed a lot of strikeouts even before Guidry weighed in. His 109 strikeouts are sixth in the American League. Severino is coming off a rare loss when he allowed a two-run homer to former teammate Todd Frazier among five hits in five innings of a 2-0 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday at Citi Field. It was his first loss since April 10 at Boston. Severino is 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA in seven home starts this season. He also is 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his last 11 home starts. It is the longest streak of consecutive home starts without a team loss since 1999, matching Masahiro Tanaka’s 11-game streak. The 24-year-old right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 11 appearances (seven starts) against the Rays. The Rays are 4-11 in their last 15 games and are on an eight-game road losing streak after getting four hits Friday. They also have struck out 25 times in the first two games and are 2-12 in their last 14 games at Yankee Stadium. Tampa Bay (32-37) gave Friday off to Carlos Gomez and C.J. Cron, and manager Kevin Cash is hoping they can start producing. Gomez is batting .138 (8-for-58) in 18 games since returning from a right groin strain last month and Cron has 10 strikeouts in a 0-for-12 skid. “I’m trying to get him rested,” Cash said of Gomez. “I don’t know if going every other day or picking a little bit more days off for him might help him a little bit. He plays so hard when he is out there, give his body a blow and see if it freshens him up.” Tampa Bay will use a reliever as its “opening pitcher” for the 20th time. Ryne Stanek (1-1 Buccaneers Elite Jerseys , 2.76 ERA) will do it for the fifth time this season, but Cash said Ryan Yarbrough will get the bulk of the innings. Stanek’s last “start” was Monday when he struck out three and threw 27 pitches in two innings. None of his “starts” have lasted more than two innings. The right-hander has not thrown more than 40 pitches in those outings. And for the Rays by now the novelty has worn off. “I think they’ve handled it really well,” Cash said. “I think the novelty or whatever you want to call it was gone after the first day.” When Paul Blackburn needed 47 pitches to make it through the first two innings, it didn’t seem he would last long for the Oakland Athletics. Then Blackburn found his groove and led the streaking A’s to another win. Blackburn pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and Oakland won its fifth straight game, beating the Cleveland Indians 3-1 on Friday night. ”It was just finding a tempo and rhythm,” Blackburn said. ”It’s something I’ve struggled with the first couple of innings. Once I get over that hump in the second inning, I feel like everything is more put together.” Marcus Semien and Khris Davis drove in runs against Trevor Bauer (7-6) as the A’s followed up a four-game sweep at Detroit with a win in the opener of a five-game homestand. Jed Lowrie provided insurance with a solo homer in the eighth off Zach McAllister to move Oakland a season-high seven games over .500. ”Games like that, it feels like a 10-run homer,” manager Bob Melvin said. ”The guys coming to the plate get your attention in the last inning. It was paramount. It gives you a little bit of wiggle room.” Blake Treinen allowed two baserunners in the ninth before earning his 21st save in 23 chances. He has converted 18 straight save opportunities. Blackburn (2-2) had a 12.70 ERA his past three starts and struggled early against Cleveland Titans Elite Jerseys , with four of the first seven batters reaching base safely. But a caught stealing and a double play helped him make it through the first two innings unscathed and he settled down from there. He retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced, allowing only a two-out walk to Yonder Alonso in the fourth before leaving after retiring Edwin Encarnacion to open the seventh. Blackburn allowed three hits and struck out five. Francisco Lindor hit an RBI double off Yusmeiro Petit in the eighth inning for Cleveland. The A’s, who score nearly two fewer runs per game at home than on the road, managed to get single runs against Bauer in the second and sixth innings. Matt Olson doubled in the second and scored on Semien’s two-out hit. Oakland added an insurance run in the sixth when Matt Joyce singled and scored on Davis’ double. ”He seemed to be very patient so I wanted to make a point of getting ahead in that count,” Bauer said. ”He hit a bad pitch. He’s a good hitter. That’s what you’re supposed to do with hanging breaking balls, hit them.” Bauer allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight. His 148 strikeouts are the most for a Cleveland pitcher before the end of June since Sam McDowell had 151 in 1970. TRAINER’S ROOM Indians: Manager Terry Francona said the team will have a decision soon on the status of injured starter Danny Salazar, who has been on the DL all season with a right shoulder injury. Francona said the team is ”exploring some things” and said he would have more information in the next couple of days. Athletics: 3B Matt Chapman (hand) took grounders and hit off a tee. He will take BP on Sunday and could be back as early as next week. … RHP Andrew Triggs (right arm nerve irritation) had his rehab shut down because he felt tingling in fingers. He will get a second opinion next week. … RHP Trevor Cahill (right Achilles) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session and will either have a lengthier bullpen session or simulation game next in his rehab. UP NEXT Edwin Jackson (0-0) makes his second start for Oakland after allowing one run in six innings of a no-decision in his debut against Detroit. His nine-game winning streak against Cleveland is the longest since Storm Davis also won nine straight vs. the Indians from 1986-92. Adam Plutko (4-1) starts for Cleveland. —