(My Sportsbook) - Andy Pettitte puts a six-start win streak on the line when the veteran lefty takes the mound this afternoon for the New York Yankees in the rubber match of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Pettitte has been good as any pitcher in the majors over the last month, as he has posted a sparkling 2.36 earned run average during his current winning run. He's allowed three runs or less in each of those six victories.

The 35-year-old will also be facing a team he's dominated over his standout career. Pettitte is a sensational 13-1 lifetime against Tampa Bay with a 3.34 ERA in 20 games, 19 of which have been starts, and already owns a pair of wins over today's opponent this year. He's faced the Devil Rays 17 times since his only defeat to them back on September 16, 1998.

In his most recent start, Pettitte defeated the hated Red Sox on Tuesday after allowing three runs and six hits over six innings of work.

The Yankees rebounded from a 9-1 loss to Tampa in Friday's series opener with yesterday's 9-6 triumph. Alex Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with four RBI and belted his major league-leading 45th home run of the season to back a successful debut for New York rookie Ian Kennedy.

Kennedy held the Devil Rays to three runs -- one earned -- and five hits over seven innings in his first big league appearance. The 22-year-old, the Yankees' first-round selection in the 2006 draft, struck out six and walked just two.

Tampa starter Edwin Jackson (4-13) was rocked for seven runs (six earned) in only 3 1/3 innings of work as the Devil Rays had a four-game win streak halted.

B.J. Upton went 2-for-3 with a solo homer for Tampa Bay, while Josh Wilson had a two-run double in the loss. Upton and Delmon Young, who finished 2-for-4 on Saturday, are both currently riding nine-game hit streaks.

Saturday's win extended New York's lead over fading Seattle to two games in the American League wild card standings and kept the Bronx Bombers five games behind AL East leader Boston.

Tampa Bay will send out Jason Hammel in the finale, with the youngster hoping to celebrate his 25th birthday by obtaining an elusive first major league win as a starter.

Hammel is a woeful 1-10 with a 7.59 ERA in 27 appearances, including 17 starts, with the Devil Rays over the past two seasons. That lone victory came when he delivered 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief at Arizona on June 18.

The right-hander is 0-3 with a 10.00 ERA over his last four starts, and was on the hook for another defeat Tuesday in Baltimore until the Devil Rays erupted for 11 runs in the eighth inning. Hammel surrendered five runs over six innings in that game.

In four previous games, including a pair of starts, against New York, Hammel is 0-1 with a 7.45 ERA.

The Yankees are 21-11 against Tampa Bay since the start of the 2006 season, which includes an 8-6 mark this year. The Devil Rays are just 5-12 at Yankee Stadium over that span.