(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees hope Alex Rodriguez's return can kick start their sputtering offense this evening, when they open a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium.

Rodriguez has been sidelined since April 28 with a right quadriceps strain, but is expected to return tonight from his first trip to the disabled list since 2000 following a short rehabilitation stint in Tampa.

The Yankees could certainly use their three-time MVP's bat in the lineup, as the team has scored two runs or less in five of their last six games and lost five times during that stretch, including its last three tilts.

They were swept over the weekend in an abbreviated Subway Series with the New York Mets and got routed, 11-2, in Sunday's finale of the rain-shortened two- game set in the Bronx.

Chien-Ming Wang (6-2) had his worst outing of the season for New York, as he was tagged for seven runs on six hits with three walks and struck out just one in 7 2/3 innings. The righty also allowed his first homer in 46 1/3 frames as the Yankees lost for the eighth time in their last 11 tries.

The Yankees, though, turn to their hottest pitcher this evening in 39-year-old right-hander Mike Mussina, who has won his last five starts. Mussina improved to 6-3 Wednesday against Tampa Bay, when he surrendered a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings to lower his earned run average to 3.99.

Mussina, who spent the first 10 years of his career in Baltimore, is 10-6 against his former team with a 4.51 ERA in 23 starts.

Baltimore will counter with righty Daniel Cabrera, who has won his last two starts. Cabrera limited the Boston Red Sox to three runs and 10 hits over seven innings on Wednesday to run his record to 4-1 to go along with a 3.58 ERA.

More importantly, though, Cabrera did not walk a batter and has issued just three base-on-balls in his last three starts since allowing seven in a no- decision against the Chicago White Sox back on April 28. He has led the league in that category the past two seasons.

Cabrera beat the Yankees earlier in the year and is 4-6 lifetime against them with a 4.81 ERA in 14 starts.

While the Yankees have struggled, Baltimore has surprisingly done pretty well for themselves in the early going. The O's, though, had their four-game winning streak stopped on Sunday with a 2-1 loss to the Washington Nationals in the finale of the three-game Beltway Series at Camden Yards.

Jeremy Guthrie (2-4) was the hard-luck loser, giving up only five hits and one run in seven innings.

Baltimore has won two of three from the Yankees this season. Last year the Orioles were 5-4 at Yankee Stadium.