(My Sportsbook) - Mike Mussina goes for win No. 18 when the New York Yankees wrap up their four-game series with the playoff-hopeful Chicago White Sox this evening at Yankee Stadium.

New York finds itself in the unfamiliar role of spoiler, as its hopes for a 14th straight postseason appearance have all but gone by the wayside in the final year of the House that Ruth Built - a building that has played host to 37 World Series.

The Yankees, who will begin play across the street in a new state of the art building next season, are in the midst of their final homestand at the current ballpark and have tried their best here to derail Chicago's postseason chances.

Despite losing two of the first three-games of this series, the White Sox still lead the AL Central by 2 1/2 games over the Minnesota Twins, who have stumbled themselves in Cleveland this weekend.

On Wednesday, Alex Rodriguez made history as New York downed Chicago, 5-1.

With a solo homer in the eighth inning, Rodriguez became the only player to have at least 35 homers and 100 RBI in 12 seasons, passing Babe Ruth. Johnny Damon had a two-run homer for the Yankees, who have won four of their last five games.

Xavier Nady also had an RBI in the win, while Robinson Cano went 3-for-3 for New York.

Yankees youngster Phil Hughes, who hadn't pitched in the big leagues since a home loss to Detroit on April 29 that saw him leave with a stress fracture in his ribs, was touched for just a run on four hits over four frames. Brian Bruney (3-0) took the win with a perfect seventh inning of relief.

Clayton Richard (2-5) took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits through 6 2/3 innings.

Jermaine Dye drove in the lone run for Chicago, which has dropped three of six.

Mussina, meanwhile, has been one of the few bright spots on an otherwise disappointing Yankees team, has gone 17-9 with a 3.63 earned run average. He had been 11-10 last year and hadn't won more than 15 games since posting a 17-8 ledger back in 2003.

The 39-year-old right-hander, though, has lost his last two starts and was defeated on Saturday by the Tampa Bay Rays, who touched him up for five runs and eight hits in five innings.

Mussina defeated the Pale Hose back on April 23 and is 17-16 with a 4.57 ERA lifetime against them.

Chicago will hand the ball to righty Javier Vazquez, who is 12-13 with a 4.13 ERA. Vazquez won for the second time in his last three starts Sunday against Detroit, as he scattered three hits over 7 2/3 scoreless innings to get the victory.

Vazquez, who pitched the 2004 campaign for the Yankees, is just 1-4 in five starts against his former team, while pitching to a 6.14 ERA.

New York took two of three from the White Sox in the Windy City earlier in the year. The Yankees have also won seven of their last nine at home in this series.