• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Yankees-Blue Jays Preview

Sep 3, 2009 - 5:30 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

New York (84-48) at Toronto (59-72), 7:07 p.m. EDT

The New York Yankees haven't had to worry much about their offense recently. Having such hot hitters may make it easier to withstand the absence of arguably the game's most dominant closer.

With Mariano Rivera expected to sit out the next few days, the Yankees look to win their seventh straight when they open a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Rogers Centre.

New York (85-48) improved to 34-20 against the AL East with a three-game sweep of Baltimore this week. The Yankees, who have a 7 1/2-game lead in the division, concluded the series with a 10-2 victory Wednesday, scoring seven runs in the ninth.

Alex Rodriguez had a two-run single to ignite the uprising. Rodriguez, who finished with four RBIs and notched his 2,500th hit in the fifth inning, is hitting .419 with 11 RBIs in the last 11 games.

Rodriguez isn't the only Yankee on a hot streak. Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera are each hitting over .400 during the last six games, with Cano driving in nine runs. New York has outscored opponents 47-14 during the six-game win streak.

"This is how a team is made. Top to bottom and on our bench we have a solid team," said Johnny Damon, who had four hits Wednesday. "We have depth that not too many other teams have."

It wasn't all good news, though, as the Yankees learned that soreness in his left groin will likely keep Rivera sidelined into the weekend.

Rivera said he first began to feel sore on Aug. 15 in Seattle. The right-hander has pitched in five games since then, including Monday and Tuesday, when he recorded his 37th and 38th saves against Baltimore.

"It's a concern. You don't want to hurt him," manager Joe Girardi said. "So we thought we'd give him a couple days and see if we can nip it in the rear end."

Phil Hughes is expected to step into the closer role. He pitched 1 1-3 innings Wednesday, striking out three without allowing a hit.

The Yankees are 9-3 this season against Toronto (59-73), which lost the final three games of a four-game set with Texas - including a 6-4 defeat Wednesday - to fall to 5-16 since Aug. 10. The Blue Jays have also lost series to Boston and Tampa Bay during that stretch.

"We've played a couple teams in the wild card. We're trying to be spoilers," said Scott Richmond, Wednesday's losing pitcher. "We're trying to stir the pot a little bit and fell short."

Toronto will hand the ball to one of its few bright spots in Ricky Romero (11-6, 3.95 ERA).

Romero is looking to move into a tie for the league lead in victories by a rookie. He is 1-2 with a 5.67 ERA in his last five starts, though, and allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 3-2 loss to Boston on Saturday.

The left-hander is 1-0 with a 4.38 ERA in two starts against the Yankees.

Chad Gaudin (1-0, 3.21) will counter for New York, making a spot start in place of Sergio Mitre, who took a line drive off the forearm Saturday.

Gaudin is making his second start since joining the Yankees from San Diego. After pitching 4 1-3 scoreless innings against Oakland on Aug. 19, Gaudin has made two relief appearances, allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings.

The right-hander is 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA in three starts and nine relief appearances against the Blue Jays. He pitched two scoreless innings of relief against them Aug. 12, recording the victory in a 4-3 win.