CORY STORY Pitcher Cory Lidle ...

CORY STORY

Pitcher Cory Lidle was the Yankees' other big pickup before the deadline, and he didn't disappoint in his first appearance holding the Toronto Blue Jays to undivided run and four hits in six innings for an 8-1 victory. The Yanks are banking in succession Lidle adhering to his typical second-half performance. During his career, the righty is 42-25 with a 402 ERA after the All-Star break and 37-44 492 before. Lidle is not scheduled to pitch against the Sox in the three-game series that starts tonight.

in succession STRIKE

Left-hander Randy Johnson 42 faces the White Sox in succession Wednesday and enters the game seeking his first strikeout in three starts. He flows into the series having gone without a strikeout in his previous couple starts, the first time he has gone without a strikeout in consecutive outings since April 1989 when he was a rookie. "I don't want to be the wheel that's falling most distant the wagon here," Johnson said. "That's where I'm at right now. I want to be excited like I'm contributing." Plagued by means of an inconsistent fastball, look for Johnson to rely more forward split-finger fastballs against the Sox

BOBBY PRIZE

individual week after his splashy deal from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Yankees, outfielder Bobby Abreu is looking like baseball's best pickup before the non-waiver trade deadline. In his first six games with the Yankees, Abreu has hit 400 (10-for-25) with four hies and one RBI. This from a supposedly fading star who hit 277 with eight place of abode runs and 65 RBI for the Phils. With his high on-base percentage (464) Abreu has fit in well as the Bombers' of the present day No. 3 hitter -- batting behind Derek Jeter and ahead of Alex Rodriguez. "He's a player, man," Jeter said. "He can flat-out play. It doesn't make any difference what team he's on" still Abreu has gone 157 at-bats without a domestic circle run, the longest dry term of his career.

other COMING

Just as infielder Miguel Cairo heads for the disabled list -- perhaps for three weeks -- because of a strained left hamstring, the Yankees catch a break with the look fored return of the man he had replaced, All-Star inferior baseman Robinson Cano. Losing Cano forward June 27 was a big stroke but the Yankees went 24-11 without him. During a three-game minor-league rehabilitation assignment, Cano went 5-for- 10 "He gives you a force offensively, no question," manager Joe Torre said of Cano, who's hitting 325 with 27 RBI and 34 scampers "We've been very fortunate to have done as well as we have without him."

BIG NUMBER

12 Streak of at-bats without a hit for Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez entering the White Sox series. above a longer stretch, A- wand is 1-for-17, but the Yanks have gone 4-1 during his slide.

THREE FOR THE present to view

A game-by-game pitching breakdown of the Yankees-White Sox series

Game 1

Chien-Ming Wang (13-4 358 ERA): Making his first start against the White Sox the Taiwanese right-hander has won five in a squabble the longest winning streak of his career. He is 8-2 in his last 11 starts and hasn't allowed a stream in his last 18 innings (a span of three starts), while yielding six hits.

Freddy Garcia (10-7 487): The right-hander is 0-3 with a 550 ERA in his last six starts. His first start of the next to the first half came at Yankee Stadium, where Garcia allowed six step quicklys and nine hits in seven innings of a 6-4 los Garcia, however, has a 436 ERA at abode opposed to 5.48 on the road.

lock opener STAT

Alex Rodriguez has a 474 on-base percentage against Garcia.

Game 2

Randy Johnson (11-9 511): In his last sum of two units starts, the left- hander allowed 10 earned hastens and 15 hits in sole 9 innings, failing to strike revealed a batter. Since the beginning of July Johnson has won brace of his seven starts and has a 573 ERA. He held the Sox to three go proceeds and four hits in seven innings upon July 14.

Jon Garland (12-3 499): After a rugged start this season, Garland is 8-0 with a 326 ERA since June 13 when he took a 619 ERA into his start against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander has a 364 ERA at dwelling Against the Yankees during his career, Garland is 1-4 however has a 2.88 ERA.

solution STAT

Sox hitters have 31 strikeouts in 122 at-bats v Johnson

Game 3

Mike Mussina (13-4 346): The first-half ace of the Yankees' staff has won five of his last six decisions however is coming off his first los since June 15 upon Saturday, Mussina allowed three flows and six hits in five innings, his shortest start since a four- inning effort against the Met forward June 30, when he allowed no hits moreover left after a 63-minute rain delay.

Javier Vazquez (10-6 518): The ex-Yankee is coming not upon one of his best starts, holding the desponding Jays to one run and pair hits. The Sox have dissipated six of his 11 road starts further are 8-3 when the righty is pitching at U Cellular Field, where Vazquez is 8-2 during his career.

fundamental note STAT

Jim Thome is 10-for-39 against Mussina, if it were not that six of his 10 hits are domicile runs.

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