NEW YORK — skid with a bases-clearing double Joey Bosa Jersey , he reacted as if a significant weight was lifted off his shoulders.

This has been the worst stretch of Sanchez’s 234-game career, and while he still is slumping to the tune of four hits in his last 59 at-bats, the New York Yankees are hoping their catcher gets rolling.

After ending a 0-for-17 slide Friday, Sanchez looks to help the Yankees to a third straight win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees (45-20) are 12-3 in their last 15 games after a 5-0 win on Friday. Sanchez grounded out three times before following an intentional walk to Giancarlo Stanton with a double to right field off Jonny Venters.

“It definitely felt great,” Sanchez said through an interpreter. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to contribute.”

Sanchez’s hit ended his night at .188. His average has dropped from .231 in his last 17 games.

Since his average peaked, Sanchez has driven in five runs.

“Honestly, with Gary, I really feel like it’s every at-bat, it could be turning around,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I feel like he’s close, he’s fighting it, wanting it so bad.”

Sanchez might be the designated hitter Saturday since it’s a day game after a night game, but if he catches, he will be helping Luis Severino attempt to get to his 10th win.

Severino (9-2 Tony Pollard Jersey , 2.27 ERA)is pitching one day before the 40th anniversary of Ron Guidry’s team-record 18-strikeout game against the Los Angeles Angels. On Thursday, Guidry said he believed Severino could be the one to break the mark.

“He’s got the ability to push 20, 21,” Guidry said. “I sit down, and we watch a lot — my wife and I — we watch a lot of games. And I’ve already told her that he’s going to have a night.”

Maybe so, but when presented with Guidry’s praise, Severino was modest about it and conceded “there was no chance.”

“It gives me confidence but to strike out 18 people in a game, that’s a lot of strikeouts,” Severino said.

He already has amassed a lot of strikeouts even before Guidry weighed in. His 109 strikeouts are sixth in the American League.

Severino is coming off a rare loss when he allowed a two-run homer to former teammate Todd Frazier among five hits in five innings of a 2-0 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday at Citi Field. It was his first loss since April 10 at Boston.

Severino is 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA in seven home starts this season. He also is 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his last 11 home starts. It is the longest streak of consecutive home starts without a team loss since 1999, matching Masahiro Tanaka’s 11-game streak.

The 24-year-old right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 11 appearances (seven starts) against the Rays.

The Rays are 4-11 in their last 15 games and are on an eight-game road losing streak after getting four hits Friday. They also have struck out 25 times in the first two games and are 2-12 in their last 14 games at Yankee Stadium.

Tampa Bay (32-37) gave Friday off to Carlos Gomez and C.J. Cron, and manager Kevin Cash is hoping they can start producing.

Gomez is batting .138 (8-for-58) in 18 games since returning from a right groin strain last month and Cron has 10 strikeouts in a 0-for-12 skid.

“I’m trying to get him rested,” Cash said of Gomez. “I don’t know if going every other day or picking a little bit more days off for him might help him a little bit. He plays so hard when he is out there, give his body a blow and see if it freshens him up.”

Tampa Bay will use a reliever as its “opening pitcher” for the 20th time. Ryne Stanek (1-1, 2.76 ERA) will do it for the fifth time this season Noah Fant Jersey , but Cash said Ryan Yarbrough will get the bulk of the innings.

Stanek’s last “start” was Monday when he struck out three and threw 27 pitches in two innings. None of his “starts” have lasted more than two innings. The right-hander has not thrown more than 40 pitches in those outings.

And for the Rays by now the novelty has worn off.

“I think they’ve handled it really well,” Cash said. “I think the novelty or whatever you want to call it was gone after the first day.”

Ryan McMahon turned a small adjustment into a big return for the Colorado Rockies.

McMahon tweaked his swing early in the afternoon and then hit a go-ahead, three-run homer to help rally the Rockies past the New York Mets 10-8 on Wednesday night.

Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon also went deep, and Colorado’s struggling bullpen shut the door in the late innings.

”You need a bullpen to do what ours did tonight from the sixth on – put up zeros,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. ”That’s the expectation, and that’s their expectation.”

Colorado trailed 8-6 when McMahon pinch-hit with two on and two outs in the fifth. He sent a 1-0 changeup from reliever Robert Gsellman into the Rockies’ bullpen to give Colorado the lead.

It was McMahon’s second homer of the season and it came just hours after he worked with hitting coach Duane Espy in the batting cage.

”I made a small adjustment today with my hands, just put them in a better position to get that shorter swing off, that flatter swing off,” McMahon said. ”Stood the bat up a little more and got instant results.

”It’s been a long time coming and it felt really good to come through for the guys.”

Gsellman (5-2) had given up just one home run in 16 road games prior to Wednesday.

”A changeup right down the middle and the hitter just did his job and hit it out of the ballpark,” he said. ”Got to execute the pitch.”

Bryan Shaw (3-5) got one out to earn the win. Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his 21st save this season – and the 100th of his career.

New York took an 8-6 lead with a four-run fifth. The Mets batted around for the second time in the game and benefited from three walks in the inning, including one to Brandon Nimmo with the bases loaded.

Dominic Smith, who tripled in the fifth, had a career-high three hits for New York and was a home run short of the cycle.

The Mets loaded the bases in the sixth against lefty Harrison Musgrave but pinch-hitter Kevin Plawecki grounded into an inning-ending double play to Arenado at third.

”The sixth got a little dicey, but zeros nevertheless Dalton Risner Jersey ,” Black said. ”That’s how you win games.”

Neither starter lasted long in another high-scoring game at Coors Field. The Mets scored three in the first and another in the second to take a 4-1 lead, but Colorado tied it with three unearned runs in the second.

The Rockies went ahead 6-4 in the third on RBI singles by Gerardo Parra and Tom Murphy.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: RHP A.J. Ramos had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder. … Mets manager Mickey Callaway said the results of OF Jay Bruce’s MRI revealed a right hip strain and the team will decide on a plan soon. … RHP Noah Syndergaard (strained ligament in right index finger) threw before batting practice.

Rockies: LHP Mike Dunn (rhomboid strain) threw live batting practice and said he had no ill effects. Dunn said he threw about 20 pitches. If he feels good Thursday, Black said Dunn could go on a rehab assignment this weekend. … RHP Scott Oberg (back strain) could also go on a rehab assignment, Black said.

INJURY SCARE

New York second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera was holding his left arm after tagging out Murphy on a steal attempt in the seventh inning. The trainer checked him over but Cabrera was able to stay in the game.

”He just landed hard on his left elbow,” Callaway said.

HOME INVASION

The Rockies have allowed eight or more runs in their last nine home games, which ties for the longest streak in big league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The 1894 St. Louis Browns were the last team to do it.

ROSTER MOVE

Before the game, the Mets recalled RHP Chris Flexen from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned RHP Hansel Robles to their top farm team.

UP NEXT

In a matchup of left-handers, the Mets will send Steven Matz (3-4, 3.31 ERA) to the mound against Colorado hometown favorite Kyle Freeland (6-6, 3.59) in the finale of the four-game series Thursday afternoon.

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