NEW YORK -- Tyler Austin wasnt sure if Yankees manager Joe Girardi would let him face a right-hander in the ninth inning.Switch-hitting veteran Mark Teixeira was still on the bench, and the right-handed hitting Austin isnt far removed from a long slump.Girardi stuck with the rookie, and he came through, helping the Baby Bombers continue their unlikely push into postseason contention.Austin hit a solo homer in the ninth to give New York its season-high fifth straight victory, 5-4 over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.Brian McCann hit two homers for the Yankees, who moved a season-high nine games over .500 (74-65).After blowing three leads during the first six innings, New York moved within two games of Baltimore for the second AL wild card and four games of AL East-leading Boston. Resurgent New York plays 20 of its remaining 23 games against division opponents, putting it in position to compete despite selling off key pieces at the Aug. 1 deadline.I think everybody in this clubhouse believes that we can make a push at this thing and get in the postseason, Austin said. Its an exciting time right now.Austin homered off Erasmo Ramirez (7-11) on a 3-2 pitch for his third homer since being called up Aug. 13. Teammates met him at home plate by dousing him with water in a raucous celebration.That was a huge team win for us, Austin said, and a special moment.A long one coming, too. Injuries and poor performance slowed Austins climb through the minors, and in 2015, he was demoted from Triple-A to Double-A during the season. He opened back at Double-A Trenton again this season, a disappointing assignment, but then forced his way to the majors with his bat.I didnt give up, kept battling and you know, here we are, he said.After homering in his big league debut, Austin entered a 4-for-33 slump that ended Sunday. He since has a five-game hitting streak.Girardi decided to let the 25-year-old Austin bat because Ramirez has better numbers against left-handed hitters.And hes in the game, Girardi said of Austin. A lot of times its a lot easier if youre in the game.The pesky Rays kept coming back, getting two homers each from Kevin Kiermaier and Steven Souza by the sixth. This was the first game this season in which three players had multiple homers, per the Elias Sports Bureau.MAC ATTACKMcCanns homer in the second landed in the luxury suites just below the third deck in right field. His second put the Yankees up 4-3 in the fourth, giving him 19 for the season.The left-handed slugger is one shy of his ninth straight 20-homer season and 10th overall but entered on a 3-for-20 slide.You want to pull your weight around here, McCann said. For a large part of the season, I havent been doing that. So tonight was nice to get to some baseballs and backspin them.WELCOME ABOARDTampa Bay hit four homers after being joined by new hitting coach Chad Mottola earlier in the day. Mottola was promoted from minor league hitting coordinator after Tampa Bay fired Derek Shelton on Tuesday.Kiermaier homered twice in the first three innings, setting a career high with his 11th homer in the third. Hes hit safely in a career-best 12 straight games, the longest streak by a Ray this season.Souza had his third multihomer game of the season, and second at Yankee Stadium.`PEN GAMESNew York had to use five relievers on a night when its bullpen was already short-handed. Girardi hoped to avoid using Dellin Betances, Tyler Clippard, Adam Warren and Luis Severino, so he had to dig deep in the bullpen when CC Sabathia went just four innings, allowing three homers while throwing 87 pitches.Girardi was still aggressive matching up his left-handed relievers, including when Tommy Layne (2-1) entered and struck out pinch-hitter Logan Morrison to end the ninth.BACK IN THE GROOVEAlex Cobb made his second start since having Tommy John surgery and allowed four runs over six innings. He gave up two homers and threw 89 pitches.Hes around the strike zone, extremely efficient, kept his pitch count down, gave us every opportunity to win, manager Kevin Cash said.A SMALL PARTYThe paid attendance was 27,631, under 30,000 for just the second time at Yankee Stadium -- the first was 27,532 on Tuesday. That was the first time under 30,000 since 2004.BALK BACKUmpires called Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder for a balk that let in a run in the fifth inning, then overturned the call.Holder motioned with his glove for McCann to show him the signs again, and first base umpire Jordan Baker called a balk, allowing Logan Forsythe to score from third.The Yankees argued, and the umpires conferred before overturning the decision.TO THE BALLOTSThe Staten Island Yankees, one of New Yorks Class-A affiliates, are holding a fan vote to decide on a new team name. The options are: Bridge Trolls, Island Heroes, Killer Bees, Pizza Rats and Rock Pigeons.TRAINING ROOMRays: SS Matt Duffy will have surgery Friday on his left heel. Dr. Bob Anderson, team orthopedist for the NFLs Carolina Panthers, will perform the operation. ... RHP Chase Whitley is expected to return following Tommy John surgery in one of the next three games. Whitley pitched for the Yankees in 2014 and `15 but was placed on waivers and claimed by Tampa Bay last November while recovering from the surgery.UP NEXTRays: Rookie LHP Blake Snell (5-7, 3.39) starts vs. New York on Friday night. He struck out seven over six innings of one-run ball in a win against Toronto last time out and has a 2.61 ERA in two starts against New York this season.Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda (6-11, 5.10) pitches against Tampa Bay. Pineda is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA over his past three starts. Womens Clippers Jerseys . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. Authentic Clippers Jerseys . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. http://www.cheapclippersjerseyschina.com/ . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Youth Clippers Jerseys . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Cheap Clippers Jerseys . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. LATROBE, Pa. -- Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey is happy to be playing football again after the All-Pro nearly had the game he loves taken from him.Pouncey suffered a broken ankle that required surgery in the Steelers third preseason game last season. He was placed on the teams short-term injured reserve and planned to return later in the season, but several unexpected setbacks threatened his career.He couldve lost his leg, Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster said. To have it almost taken away . that guys career almost ended. Hes excited to be back on the football field and Im looking forward to seeing him in the first preseason game.A severe infection set in, resulting in additional surgeries -- seven according to Pouncey, who underwent three major procedures and four he described as `clean ups.Playing football was never a concern, Pouncey said. The biggest concern was the infection. Whenever you have an infection, you cant predict that. The medicine really has to work the right way. Everybody was hoping for the best. You really cant blame anyone. Things happened and it went downhill.His teammates were concerned.He would get done with a surgery and go right back into another one, Foster said. It was trying. You can say its just cosmetic stuff, but thats painful and time consuming.Pouncey initially planned to return in late November at Seattle, a week after the teams bye.It makes it even more frustrating, having a chance (to return) and then losing it, but he handled it well, offensive line coach Mike Muunchak said.dddddddddddd Im sure it was depressing because you feel like youre not part of the team even though you still are. Its a hard thing mentally for a player.Members of the offensive line tried to help by going to his house every Thursday.It was very important because you feel left out, Foster said. He was just glad to have us around. He would order the food and he would pay for it. He wanted us there. When you have that type of situation, and you finally get him back healthy, hes not taking it for granted.Pouncey didnt hold back in his return either