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(Sports Network) - Andy Pettitte hopes to put a tumultuous offseason behind him this afternoon when the New York Yankees continue their four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Pettitte, who opened the year on the disabled list with a sore back, was named in the Mitchell Report and admitted to taking human growth hormone on a few occasions. Pettitte also confirmed to Congress that he and Roger Clemens had in fact discussed the seven-time Cy Young Award winner's use of performance enhancing drugs.

This is probably not the end of it for Pettitte either, as he will likely have to testify once again with regards to the government's pending perjury case against Clemens.

On the field last season Pettitte was solid, going 15-9 with a 4.05 ERA. Pettitte had actually contemplated retirement before re-upping with the Yanks for one year and $16 million.

Pettitte has owned the Rays over the course of his career, going 13-2 against them with a 3.53 ERA in 21 games, 20 of which have been starts.

The Yankees will need a strong effort from Pettitte if they are going to get back on track in this series. On Friday, pinch-hitter Shawn Riggans stepped in for an injured Dioner Navarro and stroked a three-run double, as Tampa Bay got to young right-hander Ian Kennedy early and rolled to a 13-4 win.

Carlos Pena clubbed a three-run homer, and Cliff Floyd added a solo shot and finished with two RBI for Tampa Bay. Akinori Iwamura had three hits and scored twice for the Rays, who blew the game open with a seven-run eighth inning.

Andy Sonnanstine (1-0) threw six solid innings for the Rays, who were coming off a two-game rain-shortened split at Baltimore to start the season. The 25- year-old righty was charged with six hits and four runs.

Hideki Matsui homered for the Yankees, who took two of three games at home from Toronto to begin the season. However, on this night, New York was limited to six hits and came up empty against the Rays.

The 23-year-old Kennedy (0-1), who made the fourth start of his major league career, gave up four hits and six runs before being lifted after 2 1/3 innings. He also walked four and struck out two before yielding to Jonathan Albaladejo.

LaTroy Hawkins was pounded for six hits and six runs in the eighth inning.

Tampa will hand the ball to 24-year-old right-hander Edwin Jackson, who was 5-15 a year ago with a 5.76 ERA in 32 games, 31 of which were starts. He is 1-1 lifetime against the Yanks, pitching to a 5.66 ERA in seven games (three starts) against them.

New York won 10 of their 18 matchups with the Rays a year ago and were 5-4 against them in the Bronx. The Yanks are 23-14 over the past two seasons against Tampa, losing just seven of their 19 games at home to the Rays over that time.