Rays 8, Yankees 6: Matt Joyce recorded three RBIs and David Price pitched 6 1/3 solid innings as host Tampa Bay defeated American League East rival New York for the second straight game.

A day after a thrilling 7-6 win in the bottom off the ninth, the Rays held off a late charge from the Yankees to improve to 2-0 after starting 2011 on a 0-6 skid.

Tampa Bay jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, capped by Joyce’s solo home run to right field to lead off the bottom of the third. He would drive in two more runs with a single in the bottom of the seventh.

Price (1-0), who went 1-1 with a 5.22 ERA in five starts against New York last season, limited New York’s powerful lineup to two runs on five hits, striking out five and walking four.

Luke Scott also contributed three RBIs in the win, cashing in a bases-loaded, two-run single in the bottom of the first inning and an RBI double to deep right in the sixth.

Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda (0-1) was knocked around for six runs – four earned – on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked four.

New York threatened in the top of the ninth with a leadoff triple from Curtis Granderson, who would find home plate on a sacrifice fly from Raul Ibanez. New York cut the lead to two off Nick Swisher’s three-run homer to right field.

Fernando Rodney got Alex Rodriguez to ground out to second to end the game and earn the save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Rays sold out the first two games of the season for just the second time in franchise history. … Carlos Pena has six RBIs in his first two games back in Tampa Bay.