ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Gary Sanchez is doing all he can to keep the New York Yankees in playoff contention.The rookie slugger hit his 17th homer in 42 games this season, a three-run shot in a four-run seventh inning that sent the Yankees past the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game skid.Amazing, incredible, impressive, teammate Mark Teixeira said. Hes carried us. Were not even close to talking about a playoff berth if Gary doesnt come up and do what he does.The banged-up Yankees moved within 3 1/2 games of Baltimore for the second AL wild card. New York would also have to jump over the Mariners, Astros and Tigers to earn a postseason berth.Sanchez tied Wally Berger of the 1930 Boston Braves for the most homers by a big league player through 44 career games, according to Baseball-Reference data available through 1913.Im enjoying it, especially when you win the game, Sanchez said through a translator.Sanchez gave the Yankees a 5-2 lead with his drive off Brad Boxberger (4-3). It was the young catchers sixth home run in 11 games following a 10-game drought.Hes meant a lot, New York manager Joe Girardi said. Offensively and defensively. Its kind of fitting that he got the big hit.Sanchezs shot came after Tampa Bay opted not to walk him with first base open and two outs.Had Boxy fallen behind, maybe youd think about it, but this is a guy whos gotten a lot of big outs for us in the past and trust him to get outs, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.Teixeira hit a solo shot in the fourth for New York, which was swept in a four-game series at Boston last weekend and had lost seven of eight overall.It was Teixeiras 407th homer, which tied Duke Snider for 54th place on baseballs career list. The switch-hitting first baseman has hit 204 for the Yankees, moving him past Roger Maris and into a tie with Robinson Cano for 14th in franchise history.I havent hit a ball right-handed like that in a long time, Teixeira said.Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (bruised right knee), third baseman Chase Headley (back spasms) and second baseman Starlin Castro (strained right hamstring) were all out of the lineup for the second straight game.Luis Severino (3-8) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Dellin Betances got three outs for his 12th save.New York starter Michael Pineda gave up two runs and struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings.Brad Miller put the Rays up 2-0 with a two-run triple in the third.Tampa Bay lefty Drew Smyly allowed one run over six innings.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: Ellsbury didnt rule out starting Wednesday. ... Headley could be back late this week. ... OF Aaron Hicks (right hamstring) was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list.Rays: OF Steven Souza Jr. (left hip) and 1B Logan Morrison (left wrist) will both have surgery Wednesday. ... Utility man Nick Franklin (left hamstring) might not play again this season.KAPRIELIANS COMEBACKYankees minor league right-hander James Kaprielian, out since late April with an elbow injury, threw 30 pitches during his second batting practice session. The 2015 first-round draft pick might pitch in the Arizona Fall League. This year I learned a lot, and for me this is a big character test, Kaprielian said. Battle these frustrations. I think in the long run this is going to help me.UP NEXTYankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (13-4), who is 6-0 in his last eight starts, takes the ball Wednesday night. He is 5-0 in seven career starts against the Rays.Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (1-0) makes his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery. Rickey Jackson Jersey . 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CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson coach Dabo Swinney had a simple message for his defense in facing Louisville star Lamar Jackson.If hes Superman, Swinney told them, were going to be the Kryptonite.No. 5 Clemson did just enough, rallying for two fourth-quarter touchdowns and stopping Jackson and No. 3 Louisville a yard short on fourth down with 33 seconds left to hold on for a 42-36 victory Saturday night.The Tigers (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied behind Deshaun Watsons five touchdowns, the last two coming in the final seven minutes, after Louisville (4-1, 2-1) wiped out an 18-point lead behind another standout performance by Jackson.Watson was no slouch. He had his errors -- a career-high three interceptions and a fumble -- but in the end found a way to succeed with 306 yards on 20-of-31 passing.It just shows even with the hiccups how good we are and how good we can be, Watson said. We found a way how to handle adversity.The Tigers looked like they had this one wrapped up before halftime, scoring four TDs in the second quarter to lead 28-10 at the break. Then Action Jackson got moving and the Cardinals (4-1, 2-1) scored on five consecutive possessions to take a 36-28 lead with 7:50 left.Artavis Scott began Clemsons comeback with a 77-yard kickoff return and Watson found Mike Williams for a 20-yard scoring pass two plays later. Clemson forced Louisville to punt for the only time in the second half and Watson guided the game-winning drive, ending on a 31-yard TD catch by Jordan Leggett.Jackson had one last surge, leading Louisville to Clemsons 9. But James Quick was knocked out of bounds Louisvilles final play shy of the first down.Lamar knew where he needed to go with the ball and we came up a yard short, Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said.The Tigers have won 19 straight games at home, a streak that began after they lost their last top-five showdown -- when No. 5 Florida State defeated No. 3 Clemson 51-14 in 2013. In that one, Jameis Winston led a Seminoles rout.Clemson made sure Jackson would not pull off another one.A lot of guys picked Louisville, Swinney said. Rough night for you.THE TAKEAWAYLouisville: The Cardinals have climbed in the Top 25 and may wind up running the table without anotther loss in the regular season.dddddddddddd Louisville will regret its slow first half in this one, which may have cost it an ACC title and possible national championship shot.Clemson: Can anyone stop the Tigers from claiming the ACC Atlantics spot in the league title game? Florida States loss to North Carolina means the Tigers would have to lose at least twice for the Cardinals, Seminoles or anyone else in the Atlantic to have a chance. Clemson is 19-4 against its remaining ACC opponents the past five years, with three of the defeats coming to Florida State.POLL IMPLICATIONSLouisville: The Cardinals will fall, but should stay in the top 10. There wont be much dropoff in losing at Clemson, which is 49-6 at home since Dabo Swinney became coach.Clemson: Count on the Tigers bouncing up into the top four -- and more than a few talking heads annoiting Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson as the four presumptive College Football Playoff teams.HEISMAN IMPLICATIONSThe game figured to be a showcase -- and Heisman Trophy showdown -- for Louisvilles Lamar Jackson and Clemsons Deshaun Watson. While the Tigers came out on top, Jackson did not disappoint and most likely kept himself in the conversation going forward. Watson, after a slow start to the season, also elevated his candidacy with his fourth-quarter rally against the Cardinals.I guess so, Watson said when asked if hes back out front for the Heisman. We both played good for our teams and had a chance to win. Thats out of my control.DEFENSIVE NUMBERSIt didnt always look like it, but Clemsons defense kept Louisville off its offensive average. The Cardinals gained 568 yards, a whopping number but still below the 682 they were averaging coming in. The 36 points were also 27 fewer than what theyve scored this season. The Tigers finished with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks of the elusive Jackson.UP NEXTLouisville: Gets next week off to regroup before returning to action with a Friday night game at home against Duke on Oct. 14.Clemson: The Tigers have another short week, traveling to Boston College to play on Friday night. ' ' '