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Vazquez faces former team as White Sox visit Yankees

Sep 18, 2008 - 10:18 AM Chi White Sox (84-67) at NY Yankees (81-71) 7:05 p.m. EDT

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Javier Vazquez's New York Yankee career lasted one season, and his last appearance in Yankee Stadium is one the team would rather forget.

That was Game Seven of the 2004 ALCS, and it was Vaquez who served up both of Johnny Damon's home runs - including a second-inning grand slam - as the Boston Red Sox completed their comeback on their way to the World Series. Vazquez will return once more to the crowd that booed him off the field last time, as his Chicago White Sox take on the Yankees on Thursday.

Vazquez (12-13, 4.13 ERA), in his third season with the White Sox, has never returned to his former home park, but will finally get the chance to do so on in the stadium's final stand. His team will need the best from him, as it is holding on to a 2 1/2-game lead over the Minnesota Twins (82-70) in the American League Central.

Vazquez's one career appearance as a visitor at Yankee Stadium was way back in 1999 when he was a second-year player with the Montreal Expos. Luck wasn't in his favor that day, either - he was on the losing end of David Cone's perfect game.

As the 32-year-old righthander looks to change his fortunes in the Bronx, he will have to do so against the Yankees' ace, Mike Mussina (17-9, 3.63) - though he may have caught him at the right time.

After flirting with Cy Young candidacy during the middle of the season, Mussina has been hit hard in each of his last two starts, likely ensuring that he will once again miss out on the 20-game season that has eluded him his entire career. His seven-start unbeaten streak was snapped on September 7 in Seattle, as he gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings in a 5-2 loss to the Mariners. Five days later, at home against the Tampa Bay Rays, Mussina lasted five frames, giving up five runs and eight hits.

This will be his last start at Yankee Stadium, a venue where he has had a great deal of success during his career. He is 71-42 with a 3.65 ERA in 134 career starts there.

New York has won two of the first three games of this series with Chicago, including a 5-1 victory on Wednesday night thanks to a pair of eighth-inning homers by Damon and Alex Rodriguez. Chicago's divisional lead remained intact, however, as the Twins dropped their fourth game in a row, 6-4 to the Cleveland Indians.