New York @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 27, 2010 ) NY Yankees 1, Cleveland 4

Alex Rodriguez didn’t get the birthday present he was searching for. Now he trudges on, still searching for his milestone 600th career homer.

Rodriguez enters Wednesday’s game at Cleveland still stuck on No. 599 and homerless in his last 23 at-bats. He is 0-for-8 in this series against the Indians, perhaps feeling the pressure mounting as he tries to become just the seventh player in baseball history with at least 600 career home runs.

Rodriguez, who turned 35 on Tuesday, was presented with the perfect opportunity when he came to the plate as the potential winning run. The Yankees had runners on the corners and two outs when interim closer Chris Perez got Rodriguez to tap out to win the game.

Rodriguez resumes the quest Wednesday against Fausto Carmona, against whom he is 2-for-8 lifetime. One of those two hits was a home run.

Rodriguez isn’t the only big bat suddenly scuffling. First baseman Mark Teixeira went 0-for-4 and failed to reach base for the first time in 43 games. New York appeared to enter Tuesday’s game with a decided edge, but rookie Josh Tomlin held the Yankees scoreless on three hits while pitching into the eighth to beat one of the most formidable teams in baseball in his major league debut.

The Yankees on Wednesday will turn to A.J. Burnett, who has pitched better in July after a difficult June. Burnett is 2-1 this month with a 2.61 ERA. That followed a dreadful June in which Burnett lost all five of his starts and had an 11.35 ERA during the starts.

The Indians counter with Carmona, who has won his last three starts. He was nearly unhittable in his last outing, allowing one infield hit and one earned run in five innings last week against Tampa Bay before a rain delay prevented Carmona from returning.

Carmona got seven of his 15 outs last week on strikeouts and continues to display better command of his sinker. He hasn’t won four consecutive starts since he won his last five of 2007 to end with 19 victories and finish fourth in Cy Young award voting.

The Indians continue to thrive on improved play after the All-Star break. Part of the reason for that is the continued development of youngsters like Matt LaPorta, who had a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs. The RBIs were the first for LaPorta in nine days as he continues to grow into the role of a run producer.

A sore left knee left New York catcher Jorge Posada out of the lineup at the last minute on Tuesday. Yankees manager Joe Girardi expects Posada to be able to DH on Wednesday. Francisco Cervelli will continue to start in his place.