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Pirates, Yankees wrap up interleague play

Jul 10, 2008 - 11:11 AM New York (49-42) at Pittsburgh (42-48) 7:05 p.m. EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Maholm was saved by rain the last time he faced the New York Yankees.

Maholm aims for a better outing this time around when the Pirates and Yankees meet Thursday in a makeup of their postponed June 26 interleague meeting.

The 26-year-old Maholm (5-5, 4.05 ERA) surrendered four straight doubles to open the game as the Yankees forged a 3-0 lead. The lefthander settled down, allowing two hits in 2 2/3 innings before the deluge.

Maholm enters the makeup red-hot, winning each of his last three decisions. He has allowed just three runs in 15 innings over his last two starts, despite failing to factor in either decision.

The Yankees enter the contest off a two-game sweep of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, narrowing their deficit to 6 1/2 games in the American League East.

Mike Mussina (11-6, 3.64) will try to bring New York closer to the top spot. The veteran righthander, who allowed one run and three hits in two innings before the rains, bounced back from two straight losses during his last start.

Mussina pitched six scoreless innings, yielding four hits and one walk while striking out five en route to a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.