• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Yankees look to complete three-game sweep of Orioles

Aug 24, 2008 - 6:41 AM NY Yankees (69-60) at Baltimore (61-67), 1:35 pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees desperately needed some breaks to go their way and thanks to the Baltimore Orioles, Joe Girardi's club hasn't flat-lined -- yet.

Darrell Rasner takes the mound for the Yankees against the Orioles on Sunday at Camden Yards.

The Yankees stayed 10 1/2 games behind the first place Tampa Bay Rays (79-49) and crept within five games of the Boston Red Sox (74-55) in the American League wild-card chase.

However, with its recent 6-8 slide, it has become clear that New York will need more series like this down the stretch to have a fighting chance in the rough waters of the AL.

Rasner (5-9, 4.93 ERA) takes the mound one day after oft-injured Carl Pavano threw five innings in the 5-3 victory for his first win since April 9, 2007. His last win before that was on May 25, 2005.

Unlike Pavano, Rasner has been healthy, but has struggled mightly on the road, going 2-6 with a 5.37 ERA in 10 road outings and nine starts.

The righthander has surrendered three runs or less in six of his last 10 outings, but hasn't pitched seven innings in that span.

Baltimore will counter with the erratic Daniel Cabrera (8-8, 4.98), whose 76 walks in 168 innings ranks second in the AL. He has held opponents to four runs or less in six of his last 10 starts.