(Sports Network) - Young meets old in a battle of lefties this afternoon when the New York Yankees collide with the Toronto Blue Jays in the second installment of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Twenty-five-year-old Ricky Romero will take the hill for the Blue Jays in this day game, but the southpaw comes into this matchup stuck in a funk, having won just once in his last five starts.
The last time Romero was on the bump he tossed a solid game against Cleveland, as he held the Tribe to just two runs on seven hits in seven innings. However, a lack of run support landed Romero with the setback.
This will be the fifth career outing for the Cal State Fullerton product against New York. In his previous four meetings with the division rival, Romero is just 1-1 with a 4.74 earned run average. However, earlier this season the young hurler tossed eight solid innings against New York, holding the Bronx Bombers to just two runs on five hits, while striking out seven batters.
For the Yankees, the 38-year old Andy Pettitte will toe the rubber. Pettitte will be making his 41st career start against the Blue Jays and for the most part the crafty lefty has been solid against Toronto, posting a 20-12 mark with a 4.16 earned run average.
Earlier this season Pettitte racked up 10 strike outs against the divisional foe, while allowing just two runs in 7 2/3 innings. However, despite the strong performance, Pettitte did not factor in the decision.
Entering this meeting Pettitte is 2-1 in his last five starts, and is coming off a rough showing against the Dodgers. In just five innings against Los Angeles, Pettitte allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits and three walks.
The crafty southpaw, though, will be at home this afternoon and pitching in front of a home crowd seems to ease Pettitte, who is 6-2 with a 2.81 ERA at Yankee Stadium this year.
On Friday, Aaron Hill tied the game with an RBI single in the eighth inning, and Alex Gonzalez brought in the go-ahead run in a five-run 11th, as the Blue Jays outlasted the Yankees, 6-1.
David Robertson (0-3), in his second inning of relief, gave up consecutive singles to start the 11th. Both runners moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt, and after an intentional free pass to Fred Lewis, Gonzalez laced a line drive over the glove of Alex Rodriguez at third to plate Lyle Overbay.
Chan Ho Park, New York's fifth reliever, took over for Robertson and walked Vernon Wells to force in Nick Green for a 3-1 game before Dewayne Wise's bases-clearing double gave the visitors even more breathing room.
Shawn Camp, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor (3-1) and Kevin Gregg combined to allow only one hit with no walks over the final five innings behind Brett Cecil, who gave up one run on four hits and six walks over six frames.
A.J. Burnett, who had pitched to an 11.35 earned-run average over his previous five starts, scattered four hits and three walks while striking out six in 6 2/3 scoreless frames for New York, which has dropped four of six.