(Best E Casino) - The final series at historic Yankee Stadium gets underway this evening, when the Bronx Bombers hold the first of three consecutive meetings with the Baltimore Orioles.

The current Yankee Stadium, a building that was initially constructed in 1923 and has played host to 37 World Series, will be demolished at the conclusion of this season as the Yankees move across the street to a new state of the art facility.

New York likely won't be getting a few extra home games come October, since the team stands 7 1/2 games behind rival Boston for the lead in the American League wild-card race with just nine to play. The Yankees have reached the postseason in every season since 1995.

The Yankees have been doing a good job of playing spoiler lately, however. After beginning this final homestand with two victories in three tests with AL East leader Tampa Bay, New York won three times in four tries over the Chicago White Sox, the current front-runner in the AL Central.

Bobby Abreu capped the Yankees' strong series against the White Sox with a monster night at the plate on Thursday. The outfielder slugged two home runs and finished with six RBI to lead New York to a 9-2 rout.

Abreu hit a towering two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the third before knocking in two more runs with a fourth-inning single. His final RBI came via a ground out in his next at-bat.

Mike Mussina (18-9) added six-plus solid innings on the mound for the Yankees to earn his 18th win of the season. The veteran hurler yielded just one run on five hits and a pair of walks.

Carl Pavano takes his final turn on the Yankee Stadium mound tonight, an occurrence that has been rather rare during the right-hander's four seasons in pinstripes. He will be making only his 25th start since signing a lucrative free-agent contract with New York prior to the 2005 campaign, having suffered a myriad of injuries during his tenure in the Bronx.

Pavano has made six starts this season since returning from elbow surgery and is 3-1 with a 5.26 earned run average. The brittle 32-year-old gained a win in Sunday's home outing against the Rays despite giving up four runs (3 earned) over 5 1/3 innings and exiting early due to a stiff hip.

His comeback start of 2008 came against the Orioles in Baltimore on August 23, and Pavano came out a winner after surrendering three runs in five innings of New York's 5-3 triumph.

For his career, Pavano is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in six career starts versus Baltimore.

He'll be opposed tonight by rookie Radhames Liz, who's coming off a terrific start against Minnesota last Sunday. The young Dominican gave up only five hits and one walk over eight shutout innings to defeat the Twins.

Performances like that have been few and far between for Liz, who has posted a subpar 6.90 ERA in 15 starts this season while serving up 15 home runs in 73 innings of work. He's particularly struggled on the road, having permitted 28 runs and 18 walks over a 23-inning stretch that spans six appearances.

Liz's only career start against the Yankees came on August 22, when the 25- year-old received a no-decision after allowing three runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 frames.

Baltimore has secured last place in the AL East after dropping 14 of its last 18 contests. The team's two most recent setbacks came in Toronto earlier this week, including Thursday's 3-2 defeat in the rubber match of a three-game series.

O's starter Garrett Olson (9-9) held the Blue Jays to one run over the first five innings but was touched for a pair in the sixth to receive the loss. He gave up four hits and walked three in his 5 2/3-inning stint.

Alex Cintron knocked in both runs for Baltimore, which is 1-8 over its last nine road tests.

The Yankees own an 8-7 edge in this year's season series with the Orioles, with the two AL East members having split six matchups in the Bronx.