(My Sportsbook) - The New York Yankees try to stay on the winning track this evening, when they open a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.

After losing eight of 11 games to close the month of June, the Yankees have responded by winning eight of 12 to open the month of July, including taking three of four over the weekend from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to get back above the .500 mark (45-44).

In Sunday's finale, Andy Phillips drove in a pair of runs, scored twice and saved the game with a great defensive play at first to lead the Yankees to a 7-6 win at Tropicana Field.

Derek Jeter homered and knocked in three runs for New York, which has won four of five but is still nine back of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.

Mike Mussina got the start for the Yankees and allowed 11 hits and three runs over six innings. Luis Vizcaino (5-2) was awarded the win despite pitching only a third of an inning, while Mariano Rivera slipped out of trouble in the ninth for his 13th save.

Kei Igawa takes the hill for the Yankees tonight as he tries to put a miserable first half of the season behind him and post his first victory since April 28. Igawa was just 2-2 but pitched to a miserable 7.17 earned run average in his nine games (eight starts) before the break.

Igawa, who has never faced the Blue Jays, did not receive a decision in his last start on July 5 against the Minnesota Twins. He surrendered five runs and seven hits in five innings of his team's 7-6 win.

Toronto will counter with right-hander Josh Towers, who is 4-5 with a 5.07 ERA. Towers was sensational in his last start back on July 8, but had nothing to show for it.

The right-hander scattered three hits to the Cleveland Indians over eight scoreless innings in that one, but did not factor in the decision of his team's 1-0 win.

Towers is 2-7 lifetime against the Yankees with a 4.62 ERA in 12 games, eight of which have been starts.

Toronto earned a split in its four-game series with the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, as Jesse Litsch gave up nine hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings in the Blue Jays' 2-1 win Sunday at Fenway Park.

Litsch (2-3) struck out two and walked one, needing 94 pitches to hold a usually explosive Red Sox offense at bay. Jeremy Accardo hurled a perfect ninth to pick up his 13th save.

Lyle Overbay finished 3-for-3 and scored a run for the Blue Jays, who have won three of five. Royce Clayton was 2-for-4 with an RBI single and Aaron Hill drove in a run and scored once.

Toronto has won three of four from the Yankees already this season, but is just 24-35 in the series since the start of the 2004 season. The Blue Jays are also only 11-18 in the Bronx over that time, but won in their only visit there this season.