By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia was chased in a seven-run sixth inning as the Rays defeated the Yankees, 10-3, on Thursday at Yankee Stadium, reducing New York's advantage in the American League East to a half-game. The victory gave Tampa Bay the nod in the season series between the two contenders, 10 games to eight. With nine games remaining on their schedule, the Yankees' magic number to clinch a postseason berth remained at three. Setting up for a sequel after matching for an instant classic on Sept. 13 at Tropicana Field, Sabathia could not keep up with his Rays counterpart, David Price, running into trouble as Tampa Bay sent 11 men to the plate in the big sixth inning. Sabathia had limited the Rays to one run heading into that frame, courtesy of a Ben Zobrist RBI single in the third, coming on a play in which Zobrist was tagged out between first and second before Carl Crawford could touch the plate for another run. It could have been a big play, but it turned out to be a footnote. Rocco Baldelli started the damage in the sixth by beating out a swinging bunt for a run-scoring hit and Willy Aybar added a RBI single, and Sean Rodriguez drew a bases-loaded walk that chased Sabathia. B.J. Upton greeted reliever Joba Chamberlain, celebrating his 25th birthday, with a two-run ground-rule double to left-center, and Crawford added a two-run single that completed the frame. Sabathia was charged with seven runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out six in a 111-pitch outing. The Yankees got three runs in six innings off Price, who exited leading 8-3. Marcus Thames dealt the first blow in the second, lining a low fastball into the left-field seats for his 12th home run, a two-run shot. In the fifth, Greg Golson led off with a double and, after a Derek Jeter single, scored on Nick Swisher's RBI hit. But Price was able to keep the damage there, getting Robinson Cano to pop out and striking out Thames to leave the bases loaded. The Yankees also left the bags full in the sixth, as Mark Teixeira flew out to deep center. Javier Vazquez had a troublesome relief appearance, taking over in the seventh. After a leadoff walk, Vazquez hit the next three batters, forcing in a run when he plunked Kelly Shoppach with a wild curveball. Dan Johnson added a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to drive in Tampa Bay's 10th run.
