• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Yankees take on Tigers in make-up game

Sep 1, 2008 - 2:30 PM NY Yankees (72-64) at Detroit (66-70), 1:05 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees' streak of 13 straight seasons with a playoff appearance is fading by the day.

While the two teams above them in the American League East are poised to punch their tickets for October baseball, the Yankees frantically stare at a 10-game road trip beginning Monday as they take on the Detroit Tigers to make up a May rainout on Monday.

The Tampa Bay Rays (84-51) sit 12 1/2 games ahead of New York for first place in their division, while the Boston Red Sox (79-57) are seven games in front in the wild-card chase.

Sporting an unimpressive 32-33 road record, the Yankees take on a difficult trip that takes them to Tampa Bay, Seattle and Anaheim.

Coming off two straight losses in a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays, New York turns to Sidney Ponson (7-5, 4.80 ERA) to provide some relief from the recent shoddy pitching its received lately.

Yankees hurlers have surrendered six or more runs in four of their last six games while the offense continues to sputter as well. The lineup has produced three or less runs in five bouts in the same span.

Ponson is 0-3 with a 7.40 ERA in his last four starts, and he's struggled mightily in his last two, allowing 11 runs and 15 hits over 6 2/3 innings in losses to Toronto and Boston. The hefty righthander is just another exhibit of makeshift starters needed in a season littered with ineffectiveness from Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and the injured Chien-Ming Wang.

Joe Girardi's club did get some positive information this weekend, though it may be too late for it to matter. Joba Chamberlain yesterday threw 35 pitches on the Yankee Stadium mound for the first time since he went on the disabled list and pronounced himself ready to be activated sometime this week.

Justin Verlander (10-14, 4.53), who is 2-5 with a 6.47 ERA in his last five starts, will oppose Ponson with hopes of ending a disappointing season of his own on a good note.

The former AL Rookie of the Year has yielded five or more runs in nine of his 28 starts this season.

The Tigers, who were considered by many one of the top teams in baseball entering the season, are 11 games behind the Chicago White Sox (77-59) in the Central Division.