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Rays-Yankees rained out

Sep 13, 2008 - 1:05 AM BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The start of the final homestand at Yankee Stadium has been postponed at least one more day.

Holding on to nothing more than mathematical hopes for the playoffs, the New York Yankees will have to wait to close the curtain on their 85-year-old ballpark after Friday's contest with the Tampa Bay Rays was postponed due to rain.

The game has been rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Saturday, when the Yankees will start their final 10-game stretch here before moving across the street to the new Yankee Stadium next season.

The first game of the doubleheader will be the regularly scheduled contest at 1:05 p.m. EDT, while Friday's clash will be made up at 7:05 p.m.

New York will send Mike Mussina (17-8) to the mound in search of his 18th win against righthander James Shields (12-8) in the first game. Sidney Ponson (8-5) takes on Matt Garza (11-9) in the nightcap.

It will be an important three-game series for first-place Tampa Bay (87-57), which entered Friday 2 1/2 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox (85-60) in the American League East Division. New York (77-69) is in fourth place, 11 games back and in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1993.