(Best E Casino) - The New York Yankees attempt to break out of their first winless spell of the season's second half in tonight's second test of a three- game series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

New York brought itself right back into contention in the American League pennant race by winning its first eight games following the All-Star break, including a pair of victories over the defending world champion Red Sox in Boston this past weekend. The Yankees have suffered back-to-back lopsided loses since, a 9-2 defeat to the Red Sox on Sunday and last night's 13-4 shellacking by the Orioles.

Adam Jones clubbed his first major league grand slam and finished 3-for-5 with five RBI to lead Baltimore's 17-hit attack on Monday. Kevin Millar also collected three hits, including a three-run homer, to help the Orioles to their second straight win following a five-game slide.

The Orioles also received home runs from Aubrey Huff and Ramon Hernandez, with Huff ending 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Baltimore battered ex-Oriole Mike Mussina (13-7) for six runs on eight hits over the first five innings. David Robertson was even less successful for New York, as the rookie reliever surrendered five runs while recording just one out in the sixth.

Jeremy Guthrie (7-8) did the job as well on the mound for Baltimore, as the right-hander held the Yankees to one run and three hits through 6 1/3 innings.

New York scored all four of its runs during the seventh inning, three of which came via a Johnny Damon home run.

Despite the loss, the Yankees remained three games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East standings and two back of Boston in the race for the Wild Card.

Although the Orioles reside at the bottom of the AL East, the club has given New York its share of problems this season. Baltimore has won six of its 10 meetings with the Bronx Bombers so far in 2008, although the Yanks took two of three from the O's at home in May.

One Yankee who has fared well against Baltimore this season is Darrell Rasner, who takes the mound for New York tonight. The right-hander limited Baltimore to just one run in 13 innings over a pair of starts back in May, although he wound up splitting two decisions.

Rasner has won just twice (2-7) over his last 10 starts but did pitch solidly in a July 22 outing against Minnesota. He allowed just two runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings despite not factoring in the final outcome of the Yankees' 8-2 win.

The 27-year-old, who is 1-3 with a 5.03 earned run average in four lifetime starts versus the Orioles, has posted a respectable 3.44 ERA along with a 3-2 record in his six home appearances this season.

Baltimore counters with the struggling Daniel Cabrera. The unpredictable righty is 0-2 with an ugly 7.84 ERA over his last four mound trips and was hit hard in Thursday's loss to Toronto.

Cabrera was reached for five runs and 11 hits while lasting just five innings in the Orioles' 7-1 defeat to the Blue Jays. That came five days after he permitted seven runs (6 earned) in a five-inning no-decision at home to Detroit.

The towering Dominican has won both of his 2008 starts against the Yankees, however, including a May 20 encounter in the Bronx in which Cabrera fired seven innings of two-run ball. He is 5-6 with a 4.62 ERA in 15 career meetings with New York.