ST. PETERSBURG -- Forget burying jerseys underneath construction sites. For the first Yankees-Red Sox tilt of Yankee Stadium's swan song season, the Bombers have planned something out of this world.

The Yankees have announced that NASA astronaut Dr. Garrett Reisman will throw out the ceremonial first pitch from the International Space Station prior to the Yankees' game on Wednesday. It will be the first ceremonial first pitch thrown from space in Yankee Stadium's history.

Reisman, 40, docked at the International Space Station on March 12, carrying dirt from the Yankee Stadium pitcher's mound, a Yankees banner and a hat autographed by Yankees principal owner George M. Steinbrenner.

"Launching on the space shuttle and living aboard the International Space Station is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Reisman said. "But as a lifelong Yankees fan, throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees-Red Sox game is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"I am really honored to have this opportunity in such a historic season in the House that Ruth Built, and I would like to thank the Yankees for being so supportive of our mission up here in space. From Earth's orbit, but still deep inside the Yankees Universe, let me say, 'Go Yanks!'"

A native of Parsippany, N.J., and a lifelong Yankees fan, Dr. Reisman is making his first trip into space as a member of the Expedition 16 and Expedition 17 crews. Currently, he is in the midst of a planned four-month stay aboard the International Space Station, which is located over 200 miles away from the Earth's surface.

Reisman conducted his first-ever space walk on March 13 and is conducting numerous tasks with the Space Station's Robotic Arm and robotic manipulator, Dextre. He was launched into space on March 11, 2008, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, and is scheduled to return aboard the space shuttle Discovery in June.

Dr. Reisman was originally selected by NASA as a Mission Specialist in 1998 when he began his astronaut training. In June 2003, Dr. Reisman was a crew member on NEEMO V, living on the bottom of the sea in the Aquarius habitat for two weeks.