Tue Jun 19 15:58:56 2007

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A-Rod leads Yankees into Coors Field

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(Sports Network) - Alex Rodriguez will take his swings in the rarefied air of Coors Field when baseball's current home run leader brings the New York Yankees into Denver for a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies.

Both of these clubs enter this interleague set on hot streaks. The Yankees have ripped off 11 victories in 12 games to climb back into contention in the American League, while the Rockies are an impressive 17-7 since May 22 and recently took two of three games from New York's biggest rival, the Boston Red Sox, in Fenway Park.

Rodriguez belted his 27th homer of the season and finished with three RBI to help the Yankees take Sunday's final installment of the 2007 Subway Series with the Mets.

Chien-Ming Wang was the mound star for the Yankees, as the right-hander finished one out away from a complete game in the 8-2 victory.

Wang (7-4) improved to 6-1 over his last seven starts by limiting the Mets to two runs and six hits while racking up a career-high 10 strikeouts over 8 2/3 innings.

Johnny Damon went 2-for-5 with a solo homer and Jorge Posada chipped in a two- run shot for the Bronx Bombers, who enter Tuesday's play eight games behind Boston for first place in the AL East.

Colorado started off a six-game homestand by taking back-to-back matchups with Tampa Bay, but the Rockies couldn't complete the series sweep on Sunday. Jonny Gomes homered twice and Carl Crawford ended 4-for-5 to lead the Devil Rays to a 7-4 win.

The Rockies, who had a four-game win streak snapped, received solo home runs from Kaz Matsui, Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe in defeat. However, starting pitcher Aaron Cook (4-4) was tagged for six runs on 10 hits -- including three homers -- over six innings of work.

Colorado's potent offense will be tested tonight by veteran Mike Mussina, who looks to continue a string of two straight very good starts for the Yankees.

Mussina picked up his first victory since May 9 by holding Arizona to two runs and six hits while striking out a season-best seven over 7 2/3 innings on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander pitched well enough to win in his previous outing, when he limited the White Sox to a run and four hits in a six-inning no decision on June 7.

The 38-year-old's only career start against Colorado came in Coors Field on June 18, 2002. Mussina allowed five runs on eight hits, including two homers, in six innings of that game and did not receive a decision.

Josh Fogg, who will take the mound tonight for the Rockies, snapped an even longer winless drought when he defeated the Red Sox on Wednesday. The soft- tossing righty gave up just two runs on seven hits in five innings of work to record his first win since April 25.

It was Fogg's second start since a two-week stint on the disabled list because of a groin strain, and a significant improvement over his first outing following his activation. The 30-year-old was touched for six runs and 11 hits over five frames in a June 7 no decision against Houston at Coors Field.

Fogg has faced New York three times previously -- all in relief -- and has no record and a 4.76 ERA over 5 2/3 innings.

The Yankees are 5-1 all-time against Colorado and took two of three from the Rockies in 2002, New York's only previous visit to Denver. The Bronx Bombers scored 41 runs in that series, the highest three-game total by an opposing club in Coors Field.

New York also swept a three-game set from the Rockies in 2004.