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Lidle attempts to solve Orioles

Sep 26, 2006 - 2:08 PM Baltimore (68-88) at NY Yankees (94-62) 7:05 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Becoming a New York Yankee has not boosted Cory Lidle's success against the Baltimore Orioles.

Lidle seeks just a third win in 10 starts against the Orioles since the beginning of 2002 when the Yankees host Tuesday's opener of a three-game series.

Since being acquired in a trade with Philadelphia a day before the non-waiver trade deadline, Lidle (3-3, 5.26 ERA) has posted a 10.13 ERA in losing both starts to Baltimore. In his last nine meetings with the Orioles, the 34-year-old righthander has gone 2-7 with a 6.97 ERA.

Including a 9-4 loss at Baltimore on September 8, Lidle has posted an 8.10 ERA in his last four outings overall. His recent struggles likely have cost him a spot in New York's postseason rotation.

The Yankees moved into a tie for the best record in the American League with a 16-1 rout of Tampa Bay on Monday. Acquired along with Lidle from the Phillies in July, Bobby Abreu led New York's 20-hit attack by going 4-for-4 with four RBI.

Abreu and the Yankees next face rookie Hayden Penn (0-3, 15.43), against whom they racked up seven runs and nine hits in three-plus innings en route to a 9-4 triumph on September 10. The Orioles have been outscored, 40-9, in losing all four games started by Penn this month.

After allowing at least seven runs in each of his first three starts of 2006, Penn gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings of an eventual 4-2 loss to the Devil Rays on Wednesday. The 21-year-old righthander yielded a solo home run in that game and has surrendered six blasts, including three to the Yankees, in 14 frames this season.