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Mussina goes for 19th win as Yankees try to hold on

Sep 23, 2008 - 9:53 PM NY YANKEES (85-71) AT TORONTO (83-73), 7:07pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- It may have taken 15 years, but the inevitable may finally be here for the New York Yankees. For the first time since 1993 - excluding the 1994 strike-shortened campaign - the Yankees are expected to miss the postseason, barring some sort of miracle.

Their fate could officially be sealed if the American League wild card-leading Boston Red Sox (91-65) defeat the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday - or any day this week, for that matter. But for their part, the Yankees will try to keep hope, albeit faint, alive as they visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Having climbed as close as six games behind Boston, New York would have to run the table - and have Boston lose all of its remaining six contests - to draw even and force a one-game playoff. But that, of course, is an unlikely scenario - meaning the Yankees can focus their attention on smaller goals. One of those goals could be Mike Mussina's first 20-win season.

As the veteran tries to reach that milestone, Mussina (18-9, 3.57 ERA) will get two starts this week - starting with Tuesday's tilt with the Blue Jays.

The closest he has ever come was two consecutive 19-win campaigns with the Baltimore Orioles in 1995 and 1996, but he seemed destined to reach it - and then some as recently as a month ago. After getting his 16th win on August 17, he has won just two of his last six starts - including consecutive losses earlier this month, during which he allowed a combined nine runs and 15 hits in 11 innings.

He rebounded last Thursday by throwing six innings of one-run ball, limiting the Chicago White Sox to five hits in a 9-2 Yankee victory.

Standing in his way will be Blue Jays' righthander Jesse Litsch (12-8, 3.72), who is unbeaten this month. The 23-year-old hurler has come into his own this season and has been at his best lately, tossing a four-hit shutout over the Minnesota Twins on September 4.

However, that success hasn't translated against the Yankees, against whom he is 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in two outings this season.