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(Sports Network) - Brian Bannister tries to follow up a scintillating season debut this afternoon when the Kansas City Royals begin the home portion of their 2008 schedule with the opener of a three-game set against the New York Yankees at Kauffman Stadium.

Bannister, who finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting last season, got his campaign off on the right foot on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, holding them to just two hits over seven scoreless innings. He also struck out four without walking a batter in the win.

The 27-year-old right-hander lost his only other start to the Yankees and was shelled for seven runs and seven hits in five innings.

Kansas City, which will be starting a six-game homestand today, comes into tonight's tilt after salvaging the finale of their three-game set with the Minnesota Twins on Sunday at the Metrodome. Alex Gordon drove in a pair of runs, while Brett Tomko hurled five shutout innings to lead the way.

Gordon finished 2-for-4 with a two-run single for the Royals, who are 4-2 on the young season. Billy Butler finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored, while John Buck was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Tomko (1-0) allowed six hits while walking one and striking out three in the game and left with a 2-0 lead. Ron Mahay, Leo Nunez and Jimmy Gobble protected the lead until Joakim Soria closed things out by striking out the side in the ninth to earn his third save of the year.

The Yankees, meanwhile, earned a split in their four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday by winning the finale of the set, 6-1. However, the win may have come at a price, as shortstop Derek Jeter left the game with a strained left quadriceps muscle.

According to manager Joe Girardi, Jeter will definitely miss today's tilt and could miss up to a week with the injury. Wilson Betemit is expected to start today in his place.

Jeter's injury put a damper on the victory for the Yankees, who watched Bobby Abreu fall a double short of the team's first cycle since Tony Fernandez did it in 1995.

Abreu finished 3-for-3, clubbed a two-run home run and scored three times, while Mike Mussina (1-1) pitched six dominant innings to earn the 251st win of his career.

The Yankees will hand the ball to young right-hander Phil Hughes this afternoon. Hughes had a solid season debut on Thursday against Toronto, but received a no-decision despite allowing two runs and four hits in six innings.

Hughes was roughed up in his only other start against the Royals, getting hammered for six runs and seven hits in just 4 2/3 innings. However, he walked away with a no-decision that August afternoon.

New York won nine of its 10 matchups with the Royals last season and is 16-3 against them since the start of the 2006 season.