Game 1 starters set for Game 3

The aces meet again. Expect a longer rematch.

CC Sabathia is scheduled to start tonight for the New York Yankees against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander in Game 3 of their American League playoff series in Detroit. The two perennial All-Stars squared off in the opener Friday night at Yankee Stadium but the game was suspended after only 1 1/2 innings because of rain, disappointing fans who were geared up for an entertaining pitchers’ duel.

New York finished off a 9-3 victory Saturday night behind rookie Ivan Nova.

“Hopefully, I’m able to keep it like my routine, I guess,” Verlander said, adding that the brief outing Friday might be beneficial. “Kind of treat that as a pretty intense bullpen session and go about my business as normal.

“You know it’s going to be electric tomorrow. The fans in Detroit have been waiting anxiously for this day since 2006. Hopefully we don’t disappoint them and hopefully we have a lot more home games.”

After the opener was suspended, Tigers manager Jim Leyland immediately said Verlander would be back on the mound today. Yankees skipper Joe Girardi, however, did not confirm his plans for Sabathia until Sunday.

“I feel pretty good, played light catch yesterday,” Sabathia said. “I’m ready to go.”

Rays’ Price ready for redemption

David Price is thankful to have another shot at Texas in the playoffs.

A postseason disappointment a year ago when he lost twice in the opening round to the only A.L. opponent he’s never beaten, the young Tampa Bay pitcher will get a chance to redeem himself today when he goes against right-hander Colby Lewis in Game 3 of the A.L. division series between the Rays and Rangers in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The teams are tied 1-1 after splitting two games in Texas. The Rays say they’re comfortable putting the ball in Price’s hand, even though the hard-throwing lefty hasn’t won in more than a month and was 0-2 with a 4.97 ERA in a pair of losses at home to Cliff Lee in the 2010 ALDS.

“It’s pretty unique … a good opportunity for me to have,” Price said Sunday.

The 25-year-old is 0-3 with a 5.67 ERA in six career regular season starts against Texas.

J-Roll’s last stand?

Jimmy Rollins isn’t thinking about his future, even though he’ll be a free agent after this season. The 2007 N.L. MVP has spent his entire career in Philadelphia, but likely will test the market.

“It was never really an issue,” Rollins said. “Having the team that we had and being able to come out and perform the way we did, that was first.

“If you don’t win, all that other stuff kind of goes to the wayside and you deal with it when it comes about.”

The 32-year-old shortstop had his best season since ’07. He hit .268 with 16 homers, 63 RBIs and stole 30 bases.

Snakebit on bases

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson expects his players to be aggressive on the base paths. Unfortunately for Arizona, it has backfired once in each game of the team’s N.L. division series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

“I would never say anything to my player about running into an out,” Gibson said before the series started. “If you want them to be aggressive and push the envelope, you can’t have a negative comment to them for doing what you ask them to do.”

Arizona ran into outs in each of the first two games of the N.L. division series with the Brewers.

Ryan Roberts was caught stealing in a rundown between first and second on Sunday in the second inning of Game 2.

In the opener, third base coach Matt Williams sent Willie Bloomquist home from second on a single to left field, but Ryan Braun threw a two-hopper that got him at the plate.