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Jul 21, 2009 - 4:05 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Baltimore (41-50) at New York (54-37), 7:05 p.m. EDT

It didn't take long for the New York Yankees to erase their three-game All-Star break deficit in the AL East.

They'll try to win their fifth straight since the break Tuesday night and extend their home win streak over the Baltimore Orioles to nine games.

New York (55-37) fell three games behind Boston in the AL East after being swept in a three-game road series against the Los Angeles Angels from July 10-12. The Yankees haven't lost since returning home, and have pulled even with the Red Sox for first place.

The last three wins for New York have all come by 2-1 scores, including Monday's dramatic victory. Hideki Matsui delivered a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning off Orioles reliever Jim Johnson - the second game-ending home run of his career.

Baltimore (41-51) dropped to 1-12 on the road this year against AL East opponents and has dropped 23 of its last 25 road games to division rivals dating to last season.

It was a particularly frustrating loss for the Orioles, who had two runners - Cesar Izturis and Brian Roberts - thrown out at the plate on consecutive pitches in the eighth inning.

"It never happens," Yankees catcher Jose Molina said about the plays at the plate on consecutive pitches, "but you've got to be prepared for those days."

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera got the night off Monday after saving all three wins over the weekend against Detroit.

New York has won 14 of its last 19 home games, and is 7-3 overall against Baltimore this year.

The Yankees will give Sergio Mitre (NR) his first start with the club. Mitre agreed to a minor league contract during the offseason, then was suspended for the first 50 games after testing positive for a banned substance under the major league drug program.

He was 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts for Class A Tampa and 3-1 with a 2.40 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The right-hander pitched for Yankees manager Joe Girardi in 2006 with Florida.

"He's a sinker, curveball, changeup guy," Girardi said Friday. "His sinker's probably 88-91 (mph). He's going to throw a lot of strikes; he's going to get a lot of groundballs when he's throwing the ball well. I've always thought he's had kind of a bulldog attitude."

Mitre has never pitched against Baltimore. His last major league start was Sept. 15, 2007, with the Marlins.

Baltimore's Rich Hill (3-2, 7.22 ERA) will return to the rotation after making his first relief appearance since Aug. 15, 2006. He recorded one out and allowed two runs Friday in a 12-8 road loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Hill has had an awful season, but his last start went well. He gave up two runs over six-plus innings July 11 in a 4-3, 12-inning victory over Toronto.

The left-hander will be making his first career start against the Yankees. His only previous relief appearance against them came with the Chicago Cubs on June 18, 2005. He faced two hitters, walking one and striking out one.