(Sports Network) - Mike Mussina tries for win No. 10 this evening when the New York Yankees continue their three-game interleague affair with the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Mussina was denied a win on Monday, despite one his best performance of the season. Mussina held the Kansas City Royals to a pair of runs and seven hits in a season-high eight innings, but his team mustered just two runs themselves with him on the hill. He left the game with the score tied only to see the usually reliable Mariano Rivera serve up a game-winning home run in a 3-2 setback.

The 39-year-old right-hander, who didn't reach double-digit wins until September 18 last season, has still won eight of his last nine decisions and is 9-4 on the year with a 3.82 earned run average.

Mussina won his only other start against the Astros, holding them to two runs and eight hits over seven innings back in 2003.

Houston will pin its hopes on left-hander Wandy Rodriguez, who has lost two of his last three starts. Rodriguez absorbed the loss on Sunday against St. Louis, as he surrendered five unearned runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings, dropping him to 2-2 on the year, while lowering his ERA to 1.99.

Rodriguez has never faced the Yankees.

In the opener of this set on Friday, Derek Jeter hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, and Joba Chamberlain threw six solid innings, as New York eked out a 2-1 win.

Chamberlain gave up just one run on six hits, while walking four and striking out two for the Yankees, who have won two in a row. Chamberlain didn't get his first win as a starter, however, as Jose Veras (1-0) tossed two perfect relief innings to pick up the victory.

Kyle Farnsworth kept Houston off the scoreboard in the ninth inning to earn his first save since September 19, 2006.

Alex Rodriguez drove in the other run, while Hideki Matsui finished 2-for-4 for the Yankees, who will try to go three games over .500 for the first time this season.

Shawn Chacon was effective in his start for Houston, as he surrendered one run on three hits in 6 1/3 frames. Doug Brocail (2-1) gave up Jeter's homer, and took the loss for the Astros, losers of three in a row, five of six and seven of nine.

Ty Wigginton went 2-for-3 and drove in Houston's lone run.

Jeter, who leads the majors with 259 career hits in interleague play, has been incredible against the NL over the past two seasons, hitting .395 (32-for-81) with four home runs and 10 doubles in 21 games. This year against the Senior Circuit he is 5-for-11 with two homers in three games.

The Yankees took two of their three games with the Astros back in 2003, but their lone loss was a memorable one. The Astros set a major league record by having six pitchers combine for a no-hitter in a 14-0 victory.