(My Sportsbook) - Roger Clemens pitches for the first time since September 16 this evening, as the New York Yankees try to wrap up their 13th straight postseason appearance in the opener of a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

The Yankees have already clinched at least a tie for the wild card and had their magic number for clinching the spot reduced to one on Monday, despite the loss, with Detroit falling to Minnesota. A Yankees win or losses by Detroit and Seattle will secure the spot.

Clemens was scheduled to start Saturday against Toronto, but was pushed back until Monday, and then again to tonight because of a tight hamstring. He last toed the rubber against Boston last Sunday and allowed an unearned run and two hits in six innings of his team's 4-3 win.

For the year the seven-time Cy Young Award winner is 6-6 with a 4.18 earned run average.

Clemens has faced the Devil Rays 20 times in his illustrious career, going 10-5 against them with a 3.33 ERA.

The Yankees could use a big start from Clemens after the team dropped their final regular season game at home on Monday, falling 4-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays.

With Boston idle the Yankees also had a chance to gain ground in the AL East, but the loss dropped them two full games behind the Red Sox. Each team has six games remaining.

New York played its final home game of the season and will finish the campaign with three in Tampa and three in Baltimore. Boston will host Oakland for two games before closing the season with four against Minnesota at Fenway Park. If the Yankees and Red Sox finish tied and both teams qualify for the playoffs, the Yankees would win the division because of a better head-to-head record.

Andy Pettitte (14-9) took the loss for New York on Monday, allowing four runs -- three earned -- on five hits with a walk and one strikeout in six innings. The veteran lefty lost for just the second time in his last 10 decisions and fell to 16-7 lifetime against Toronto.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, enters tonight's contest on a winning note after Delmon Young went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and a pair of runs scored as the Devil Rays edged Boston, 5-4, on Sunday in the finale of a three-game set from the Trop.

Jonny Gomes added two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the D-Rays, who put the brakes on a five-game slide. Josh Wilson and Jorge Velandia also drove in a run each.

Edwin Jackson (5-15) got the win, his first since August 22, by yielding three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Getting the call this evening for the Devil Rays will be right-hander Jason Hammel, who is 2-5 with a 5.88 ERA. Hammel was tagged with the loss last Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, as he allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings.

Hammel is 1-1 lifetime against the Yankees with a 5.52 ERA in five games, three of which have been starts.

The Yankees have won eight of their 15 matchups with the Devil Rays this season and are 21-12 against them over the past two seasons, including a 9-6 mark in St. Petersburg.