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Mussina aims for fourth win of year over Devil Rays

Sep 24, 2006 - 2:22 PM NY Yankees (93-61) at Tampa Bay (59-95) 1:15 pm EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Mike Mussina and the New York Yankees visit the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the third meeting of a four-game series Sunday.

Mussina (14-6, 3.57 ERA) enters the contest with a 3-0 record and outstanding 1.40 ERA in as many starts against the Devil Rays. He holds a 16-5 record lifetime against them with a 3.24 ERA in 26 appearances.

The righthander struck out seven, but did not figure in the decision of a 5-4 shortcoming to Boston a week ago. Mussina gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings.

Posting an 8-0 victory on Saturday, the Devil Rays go for their second straight win in a row behind rookie Brian Stokes (0-0, 6.94).

The 27-year-old righthander will be making his second appearance of the season against New York. On September 12, he was roughed up for five runs and five hits in 2 2/3 frames of relief, but did not factor in the decision of a 12-4 setback.

In his most recent start, Stokes also went without a decision in a 5-3 setback to Toronto a week ago. He was responsible for two runs and seven hits in five innings.

The Devil Rays rebounded from a 4-1 loss to the Yankees on Friday by knocking around Randy Johnson for five runs in six innings. Ty Wigginton homered and Rocco Baldelli drove in two runs in support of J.P. Howell, who combined with two relievers on a four-hit shutout.