Yankees-Pirates: Pittsburgh Ends New York's Win Streak

The Yankees' four-game win streak ended tonight with a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Mike Mussina started for the Bronx Bombers. He tossed six innings, allowed two runs on five hits, walked none, and struck out five. Mussina also collected a base hit in one of his at-bats.

Paul Maholm pitched for the Bucs. He went eight innings, surrendered two runs on seven hits, walked one, and struck out four.

The Pirates struck first in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Freddy Sanchez.

In the bottom of the fifth, Sanchez collected his second RBI, this time on a sacrifice fly, and gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

New York finally broke through and tied the game at two in the top of the seventh with a two-run single off the bat of Bobby Abreu, which plated Wilson Betemit and Justin Christian.

However, the Pirates would get those two runs right back in the bottom half of the inning. After surrendering a leadoff walk to Jack Wilson, Yanks' reliever Jose Veras gave up a long home run to Nate McLouth, McLouth's 18th of the year.

The Yankees were blanked in the eighth and ninth innings, and the Pirates went on to take the series against the Yankees two games to one.

Maholm picked up the win and is now 6-5 on the year.

Veras took the loss and is now 2-1.

Damaso Marte of the Pirates nailed down his fourth save this year.

The Yankees will now journey to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays in a three-game series, their last before the All-Star break.

Tomorrow night at 7:07 EST, New York will look to rebound with Joba Chamberlain (2-2, 2.48 ERA). Toronto will start former 2003 Cy Young Award winner Roy "Doc" Halladay (10-6, 2.88 ERA). This game will be a rematch of Chamberlain's first Major League start.