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Yankees go for sweep vs. Mariners

May 4, 2008 - 2:10 PM Seattle (13-18) at NY Yankees (16-16), 1:05 pm EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees have put their pitching woes on the back burner during the first two games of their three-game series with the Seattle Mariners.

The Yankees will try to keep it that way Sunday when they host the Mariners in the series finale.

The Yankees have had trouble integrating their young pitchers into the rotation this season, as Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes have combined to go 0-6 with an 8.67 ERA.

The pitching staff combined to allow 20 runs while getting swept in a three-game series by the Detroit Tigers earlier this week.

But veterans Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina have provided some stability in the first two games this weekend, combining to allow two earned runs in 12 innings.

Johnny Damon sparked the offense in Saturday's 6-1 triumph, doubling twice and homering in the sixth inning to put the game away.

Hughes was placed on the disabled list Thursday, forcing New York to recall righthander Darrell Rasner from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 27-year-old was 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in five starts for Scranton.

Rasner (NR) went 1-3 with a 4.01 ERA in six starts with New York last season and is 4-5 with a 4.13 ERA in 17 career games - 10 starts - with the Yankees and the Nationals. In two career starts against the Mariners, he is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA.

Seattle will counter with righthander Carlos Silva (3-0, 2.79 ERA). The Venezuelan sinkerballer allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, walking one while striking out three in his last start, a no decision during Tuesday's 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

The burly righthander has struggled against New York in the past, owning a 1-2 record with a 7.59 ERA in four starts.