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Yankees-Mets Preview

May 21, 2010 - 5:38 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (25-16) at New York (20-22), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The New York Yankees are trying to avoid a season-high fourth straight loss as they begin the latest edition of the Subway Series.

The Yankees will give struggling Javier Vazquez his first start in 10 days when they visit Citi Field to take on the New York Mets on Friday night.

Neither New York team is playing well, with the Yankees (25-16) losing eight of 12 and the Mets (20-22) seven of nine. The Yankees have dropped five games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East race after falling 8-6 to the Rays on Thursday, while the Mets are the only NL East team with a losing record.

The Yankees are 133-95 all-time in interleague play for baseball's best record, going 10-8 in 2009. The Mets' 5-10 interleague record tied them with four other clubs for the worst mark in the NL last year.

Each team's starter faces a high-pressure situation in the interleague opener, but Vazquez (2-4, 8.01 ERA) will likely be under the most scrutiny. This will be his second start in a 21-day span since he's been skipped twice in the rotation.

Acquired from Atlanta after going 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA last season, Vazquez was effective in his last start, allowing two runs over seven innings in a 2-0 loss at Detroit on May 12.

The Yankees insisted that Vazquez skipped his next turn because of how it would affect other starters and not because of his ineffectiveness. The right-hander recorded a victory out of the bullpen Monday by getting the final out before New York rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning for an 11-9 victory over Boston.

"I've understood where they're coming from," Vazquez told the Yankees' official website. "I've pitched a long time in this game, so I know how it is. I'm just ready for whatever they ask."

Vazquez has never pitched at Citi Field, where the Yankees swept their first visit last June by outscoring the Mets 18-3. He went 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA in two starts against the Mets last season.

While most of the Mets have faced Vazquez, none of the Yankees have seen Hisanori Takahashi (3-1, 3.12). The Japanese rookie left-hander will make his first major league start.

The 35-year-old Takahashi, a starter for the Yomiuri Giants before signing with the Mets in the offseason, said he faced the Yankees before in exhibition games in Japan.

"I know that I'm facing the Yankees, it's the Subway Series, and everybody is watching in New York," he told the Mets' official website through a translator. "But baseball is baseball, and I'll give my best effort."

Takahashi will be facing a lineup with players who have excelled in interleague play in the past.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are the top two players in hits with 303 and 253, respectively. Jeter - a .386 career hitter against the Mets - has scored the most runs with 171 and Rodriguez has the most RBIs with 163.

The Yankees, however, are short-handed with catcher Jorge Posada out. Nick Swisher returned Thursday after missing three games with a sore left biceps while fellow outfielder Marcus Thames is day to day with a sprained left ankle.