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Yankees-Braves Preview

Jun 25, 2009 - 4:26 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

New York (38-32) at Atlanta (34-36), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Coming off an emotional visit to the team he helped lead to the 2004 World Series title, Derek Lowe will have a different kind of reunion on Thursday.

This time, he'll face one of the clubs he beat along the way.

Lowe hasn't met the New York Yankees since eliminating them with six brilliant innings in Game 7 of the 2004 AL championship series, but he'll do so as a member of the Atlanta Braves as the teams decide their series at Turner Field.

The veteran sinkerballer had a 6.07 ERA in 39 regular season appearances against the Yankees while with Boston from 1997-2004, but that didn't factor into his performance in the deciding game of the 2004 ALCS.

Pitching on two days' rest, Lowe allowed one hit in six innings as the Red Sox finished off a comeback from a 3-0 series deficit with a 10-3 win.

After Boston went on to end its 86-year championship drought, Lowe left the team as a free agent and has pitched in the NL ever since. He faced the Red Sox for the first time Saturday, allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings at Fenway Park, but getting outdueled by Josh Beckett in a 3-0 loss.

He still got a warm ovation when he was removed from the game.

"A nice gesture by the fans. They clearly didn't have to do it," Lowe said. "... It was a great game, but it was a loss."

He'll hope for a better result against his old rivals as he tries to avoid his first three-start losing streak since July 2006. His last two outings have come on the road in AL parks, but Lowe (7-5, 4.09 ERA) has been sharp at home, going 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA in seven starts.

Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte (7-3, 4.26) has been even better on the road. When pitching outside new Yankee Stadium, which has quickly emerged as a hitter-friendly park, Pettitte is 4-1 with a 2.35 ERA.

Pettitte allowed one run and three hits in seven innings Friday at Florida, striking out seven without a walk in the Yankees' 5-1 win.

"They hit a couple balls tonight that would have been home runs probably at Yankee Stadium," Pettitte said. "So instead of giving up one run, I might have given up three or four tonight at home."

The road trip had also slowed the Yankees' offense, which scored six total runs during a three-game losing streak. But after losing 4-0 in the series opener Tuesday, New York snapped the skid with Wednesday's 8-4 win.

Even struggling slugger Alex Rodriguez chipped in with a two-run single, going 1 for 3 to raise his average to .210. He had been 1 for 22 in his previous seven games.

"It's been frustrating not to get the big hits," Rodriguez said. "I knew this year was going to be a process. But the last two days have been the best I've felt. I told (Yankees manager Joe Girardi) yesterday that I felt like it was opening day."

The team is still one victory away from its second series win in five interleague sets. The Yankees (39-32) enter Thursday's game 6-8 against the NL after they went 10-8 each of the last three seasons.

The Braves (34-37) will be looking for their first series victory against anyone in more than a month. Except for their win in a solitary make-up game against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, they haven't won a series since sweeping Toronto from May 22-24.

They are 11-17 since, averaging 3.8 runs - 27th in the majors over that span.