Old Reliable
While the New York Yankees won’t be winning a division title this year, they are making it harder for the Chicago White Sox to capture theirs.
The teams close a four-game series Thursday as the Yankees continue their final homestand at Yankee Stadium.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made New York -120 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 70% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -120 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Chicago (84-67) has lost two of three in this series against New York (80-71), which likely will be eliminated from playoff contention this weekend for the first time since 1993. The Yankees beat the White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday, but the AL Central leaders remained 2 1/2 games ahead of the Twins, who were swept by the Indians.
"We didn’t hit well today. We got a couple of men on second base with no outs and didn’t hit them over," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "If we want to win we’ve got to score more than one run."
The Yankees took the lead for good in the seventh inning when Xavier Nady scored on a wild pitch and Alex Rodriguez became the first major league player with 35 homers and 100 RBIs in 12 seasons when he homered in the eighth.
"Anytime you can do something like that in a Yankee uniform is special," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez’s milestone came a day after Derek Jeter set the career hits record at Yankee Stadium, which will host its final game Sunday against Baltimore. Mariano Rivera has also made the homestand memorable by passing Lee Smith for second on the saves list on Monday.
The White Sox have lost six of their last 10, and Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome and Alexei Ramirez – three of Chicago’s top sluggers – went a combined 0-for-10 on Wednesday. Paul Konerko, who had two hits on Tuesday in his return from a week-long absence because of a knee injury, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
The finale of this series won’t be much easier for Chicago, which will face Mike Mussina (17-9, 3.63 ERA) in his final start at Yankee Stadium. Mussina, who could become a free agent after the season ends, is 6-1 with a 3.25 ERA in seven starts against the White Sox in the Bronx.
The right-hander has struggled recently though, losing his last two starts to hamper his bid to notch his first career 20-win season. He allowed five runs and eight hits over five innings of a 7-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Mussina has won five straight home starts against the White Sox and his last two starts overall against them, including an April 23 outing in Chicago in which he allowed two runs over seven innings of a 6-4 win.
The White Sox continue to get shaky work from their relievers after Scott Linebrink gave up three runs on two homers in one inning on Wednesday. Chicago’s bullpen is 1-1 with a 11.50 ERA in its last eight appearances.
Chicago will start Javier Vazquez (12-13, 4.13) on three days’ rest because he pitched in Sunday’s doubleheader against Detroit.
Vazquez pitched 7 2-3 scoreless innings against the Tigers, striking out eight while allowing three hits in the 4-2 win. His strikeout of Edgar Renteria in the fifth inning was the 2,000th of his career.
"Javy pitched extremely well," Guillen told the White Sox’s official Web site. "I think maybe one of the best games of the year, and the one we needed the most. Hopefully the next few starts he has left he continues to do it."
The right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.14 ERA in five career starts against the Yankees. He pitched opposite Mussina on April 23, allowing six runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings.
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