(My Sportsbook) - The playoff-hungry New York Yankees will resume a three- game series versus the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon in the Bronx.

New York is six games behind Boston for the lead in the American League Wild Card race and has won two straight and five of seven following Friday's 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays in the series opener. Oft-injured starter Carl Pavano yielded just a run on three hits over six innings to notch his second victory in as many tries since being recalled last Saturday.

Pavano recorded his first win at Yankee Stadium since April 26, 2005. Bobby Abreu went 2-for-4, scored a run and had an RBI for the Yankees, who are 2-2 on a six-game homestand and 40-29 in the final season at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees will hand the ball to youngster Darrell Rasner this afternoon, and he is winless (0-2) over the past seven trips to the hill with back-to-back no-decisions.

Rasner last toed the rubber on August 24 at Baltimore and gave up five runs -- three earned -- and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings of an 8-7 win. Rasner, who is 3-3 in eight home starts this season, will square off with Toronto for the third time in 2008. He is 1-0 in two appearances so far.

The right-handed Nevada product is 2-0 with a 3.57 earned run average over three career starts against the Jays.

Toronto has lost three in a row and four of its last five games. In Friday's loss to the Yanks, starting pitcher A.J. Burnett was the tough-luck loser after pitching eight strong innings and giving up just two runs on seven hits. Burnett also struck out eight batters and issued one walk.

Marco Scutaro drove in the lone run for Toronto, which is 1-3 on a six-game road swing and 31-37 away from Canada in 2008.

John Parrish takes the ball for the Blue Jays Saturday with hopes of earning his first win since June 28 versus the Atlanta Braves. Parrish has recorded six straight no-decisions and last pitched on August 10 versus Cleveland.

Parrish limited the Indians to just a run and four hits in three innings of his team's 4-0 setback.

The right-hander from Lancaster, PA is 0-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 30 career games (one start) against the Yankees.

New York leads the season series with Toronto by a 7-6 count.