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Yankees-Blue Jays Preview

Jun 5, 2010 - 4:07 AM By CHRIS ALTRUDA STATS Editor

New York (34-20) at Toronto (31-24), 1:07 p.m. EDT

On a team synonymous with winning, Andy Pettitte can reach an impressive milestone.

The veteran left-hander seeks his 200th victory with the reigning World Series champion New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon when they continue their series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Aside from three seasons with Houston from 2004-06, Pettitte (7-1, 2.48 ERA) has played for New York (34-21) since reaching the majors in 1995, recording 199 wins in his time there. A five-time World Series champion with the Yankees and a two-time 20-game winner in his career, he is also tied with Hall of Famer Whitey Ford - who spent his entire 18-year career with the Yankees - for 57th on the all-time list with 236 victories.

Pettitte notched his latest win Monday by limiting Cleveland to one run in seven innings of an 11-2 rout, his second consecutive victory since his lone loss of 2010.

He noted Ford's influence.

"That's awesome," Pettitte told the Yankees' official website of matching Ford. "It really is, because he's just been a special person for me in my career here. He's been a huge supporter of mine and he's a great man. I love him to death."

Pettitte also has loved pitching in Toronto, winning his last four starts at Rogers Centre - three in 2009 - and compiling a 15-5 lifetime mark there.

A victory would make Pettitte the 35th pitcher to win 200 games with one team and the third eight-game winner in the AL this season along with Tampa Bay's David Price and Boston's Clay Buchholz.

Pettitte could use more support than A.J. Burnett got in New York's 6-1 loss Friday to start this three-game set. Jose Bautista hit two homers, giving him a major league-leading 18, and Edwin Encarnacion added a solo shot as Toronto (32-24) increased its MLB-leading count to 94.

"This is uncharted water for me, but it feels good," said Bautista, who eclipsed his previous career high of 16 in just 56 games.

Ricky Romero (5-2, 3.14) hopes the Blue Jays can continue to provide that type of support as he tries to win his fourth straight start at home. The left-hander has thrown consecutive complete games at Rogers Centre, including a six-hitter Sunday to beat Baltimore 6-1.

"He had a good cutter going and a good sinker," Blue Jays catcher John Buck said after Romero induced 17 ground-ball outs. "Usually it's just cutter and changeup but he had a good sinker going and was able to get some ground balls when we needed them."

Romero has done an excellent job keeping the ball down this season, conceding only three homers in 77 1-3 innings, after yielding 18 in 178 innings as a rookie in 2009.

He went 1-1 with a 5.94 ERA in three starts versus the Yankees last year.

Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells, a lifetime .348 hitter against Pettitte, carries a season-high 12-game hitting streak into this contest. Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez - 3 for 7 against Romero - is 9 for 21 with three doubles and two homers in his last five games.