=== New York Yankees Team Report - June 25 ===

(My Sportsbook) - The New York Yankees target their sixth win in seven tries this evening when they continue their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

In the second game of the set on Tuesday, Juan Rivera hit a game-tying three- run homer and Todd Zeile doubled in the go-ahead run, as New York scored four times in the ninth inning to rally for a 10-9 victory.

John Flaherty added a two-run homer for the Yankees, who bounced back from a 4-2 loss in Monday's four-game series-opener and won for the ninth time in 11 games. Derek Jeter chipped in two hits and three runs scored in the victory.

The Yankees trailed 9-6 heading to the ninth, but tied the game on Rivera's first homer of the season. Raul Mondesi led off with a double against closer Lance Carter and Flaherty grounded an infield single up the middle to put runners on the corners. Rivera then belted a 1-2 pitch over the center field wall.

The rally continued when Jeter was hit by a pitch with one out and he raced home from first with the go-ahead run on Zeile's double to the gap in right- center.

Jason Anderson (1-0) notched his first major league win with an inning of hitless relief and Mariano Rivera worked around a hit and a walk in the ninth to post his 10th save.

With the win New York increased its lead to two games in the American League East over the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost on Tuesday and fell into a second- place tie with the Boston Red Sox. Boston defeated Detroit to remain two games back.

Taking the hill for the Yankees this evening will be veteran lefthander Andy Pettitte, who has been brilliant over his last two starts. After posting just one win in seven starts, Pettitte has bounced back with two of his finest outings of the season. In his last start against the Mets on Friday, Pettitte allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings, while fanning eight and walking two to raise his record to 7-6 on the season.

Over his last two starts - spanning 14 innings - the Louisiana native has surrendered just two runs on 10 hits and has struck out 16 to just three walks, while lowering his ERA to 4.69.

Pettitte has owned the Devil Rays over the course of his career. In 15 outings against Tampa, the 31-year-old hurler has posted a 9-1 record - his highest winning percentage over any team - with a 3.03 ERA. Over the last two years Pettitte has been especially dominant against the D-Rays, going 5-0 with a 1.36 ERA.

No current Devil Ray has ever homered off Pettitte.

On the injury front, Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi, who has reached base safely in 30 straight games, left Tuesday's contest with a wrist injury and is questionable for tonight's contest. Also, designated hitter/outfielder Ruben Sierra, who missed Tuesday's game with a strained right hamstring, is expected to miss tonight's affair.

These teams have already met 10 times this season, with the Yankees claiming six of the encounters. New York is 32-15 against Tampa since the start of the 2001 season.

The Yankees are 25-13 on the road this season.