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Yankees-Blue Jays Preview

May 14, 2009 - 5:46 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

New York (15-17) at Toronto (23-12), 7:07 p.m. EDT

The New York Yankees didn't suffer at the plate in their last game despite the absence of Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui.

With CC Sabathia looking to build on his best performance with his new team, the Yankees might not need nearly as much run production in the finale of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.

New York (16-17) was held to one run in a loss Tuesday, but can win its third straight road series after finishing with 11 hits in an 8-2 victory over Toronto on Wednesday.

The Yankees had eight extra base hits despite playing without Jeter (sore right oblique) and Matsui (right hamstring).

"I thought we might have to score runs in a little bit different fashion, especially at the bottom of the order," manager Joe Girardi said. "Those guys kept hitting triples."

New York had four doubles, three triples and one home run.

Girardi said Matsui was available to pinch hit Wednesday, but that Jeter was still limited. The shortstop hoped to return Thursday, but his manager was hesitant.

"I'm not sure he'll play tomorrow," Girardi said. "We'll just have to see how he feels. Maybe we're looking at Friday."

Girardi didn't need either player Thursday as Brett Gardner hit his first major league homer and drove in three runs. Every Yankees starter reached base except Nick Swisher, and fill-in shortstop Ramiro Pena tripled and scored.

"It gives us a little boost," Gardner said of the big night by the bottom third of the order. "We've got a lot of interchangeable parts here."

In his last start, Sabathia (2-3, 3.94 ERA) pitched like the ace the Yankees expected they were getting when he signed a $161 million, seven-year contract in the offseason.

The left-hander threw a four-hitter in a 4-0 victory over Baltimore on Friday night, striking out a season-high eight.

"It's always good to go out and throw a complete game and finish what you started," Sabathia told the Yankees' official Web site. "It's easier said than done. I felt good today, throwing everything for strikes, and I kept my pitch count down."

Sabathia, who's recorded both of his wins on the road, is 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA at Rogers Centre. He's 7-3 with a 3.46 ERA against Toronto overall.

The Blue Jays (23-13) will look to bounce back after having a three-game winning streak snapped. They scored 16 runs during that span but went 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position Wednesday.

Brian Tallet (2-1, 4.95) will be trying to follow up his best outing since joining Toronto's rotation. He made his fifth start Saturday and allowed one run and two hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings of a 6-4 victory over Oakland.

"Once I got in a rhythm, they had a hard time finding holes," Tallet said. "I take it as a good game, but it's only one. If you only have one, then you're not really doing your job."

Tallet is 1-0 with a 2.86 ERA in 20 relief appearances against the Yankees.