BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Mike Mussina takes the mound against his former team when the New York Yankees conclude their three-games series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Thursday.

Mussina (17-11, 3.15 ERA) had 214 strikeouts and just 42 walks in 228 2/3 innings last season, his first as a Yankee after leaving the Orioles as a free agent following the 2000 season.

The 33-year-old righthander went 3-1 with a 4.36 ERA in five starts against his former team last season.

Roger Clemens was roughed up for eight runs and seven hits in just 4 1/3 innings as Tony Batista hit a grand slam to power the Orioles to a 10-3 win on Monday. But David Wells, another former Oriole, limited Baltimore to four hits in 7 1/3 innings and Robin Ventura homered to lead the Yankees to a 1-0 win on Wednesday.

Mariano Rivera, who was the losing pitcher in Game Seven of last year's World Series, earned his first save of season with a scoreless ninth inning.

Sidney Ponson (5-10, 4.94 ERA) gets the nod for Baltimore.

Ponson had 84 strikeouts and 37 walks in just 138 1/3 innings in 2001. The 25-year-old Aruba native suffered from tendinitis in his right forearm and was sidelined in August for the rest of the season.

Ponson went 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two games against the Yankees last year.