(My Sportsbook) - Mike Mussina attempts to extend an impressive streak of home supremacy over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays when the New York Yankees hurler starts tonight's opener of a four-game series between the American League East foes.

Since joining the Bronx Bombers prior to the 2001 season, Mussina has won all seven of his starts against Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium and amassed an amazing 1.07 earned run average over the course of those games. For his career, the veteran right-hander owns a 16-6 record and a 3.30 ERA in 28 starts versus the Devil Rays.

Mussina wasn't as sharp when he faced Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field this past Sunday, however. He yielded a season-high 11 hits and did not record a strikeout in six innings, but was able to hold the Rays to three runs and did not factor in the decision of New York's 7-6 come-from-behind victory.

Edwin Jackson opposed Mussina in that contest and will do so again tonight for the Devil Rays. The young righty also received a no decision after allowing four runs on six hits, including a two-run homer to Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, while striking out six over six innings.

It has been a trying first full season in the big leagues for Jackson, a one- time heralded prospect in the Dodgers organization who has amassed an ugly 1-9 record and 7.14 ERA in 17 starts and one relief appearance this year.

The 23-year-old made his first career start against New York on Sunday after four previous relief outings versus the club. Jackson has no record and a 5.56 ERA over 11 1/3 total innings logged versus the Yanks.

New York enters this set trailing rival Boston by seven games in the AL East standings and has the same deficit to Cleveland in the race for the league's wild card berth. The Yankees closed the gap with a five-game win streak that came to an end with Thursday's home 3-2 setback to Toronto.

Chien-Ming Wang held the Blue Jays scoreless over the first six innings, but the Taiwanese star was touched for three runs in the top of the seventh to suffer the loss.

Both Yankee runs came on a two-run double from Bobby Abreu in the first inning. New York mustered just four hits against Toronto starter Dustin McGowan and relievers Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo the rest of the way.

Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui was able to extend his hitting streak to 14 games with a sixth-inning single.

Tampa Bay comes in off its first series win in nearly a month, as the Rays took two of three games with the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Tropicana Field. The Angels averted a sweep, however, with a 3-0 victory on Thursday.

Kelvim Escobar scattered nine hits and three walks over 7 2/3 innings for Anaheim, while Francisco Rodriguez threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 25th save of the campaign.

The Devil Rays, who stranded 10 baserunners, received three hits from Carl Crawford and a 2-for-4 performance out of Delmon Young.

Andy Sonnanstine (1-5) pitched well in a hard-luck defeat, as the Tampa rookie gave up three runs on eight hits while striking out six without a walk over seven frames.

Since taking two of three matchups with the Dodgers from June 22-24, the Devil Rays have lost 17 of 21 games.

These divisional inhabitants have split eight meetings so far in 2007, including a pair of games in a rain-shortened series at Yankee Stadium to begin the season. The Yankees won three of four encounters with Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field last weekend.