Rivera saves Yankees twice

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina gave the Yankees the type of starts New York has been missing for much of the season, and Mariano Rivera came through twice.

The bullpen didn't hold the lead for Pettitte but held for Mussina in his return from the disabled list. With Hideki Matsui hitting a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning of the opener and Doug Mientkiewicz supplying an early two-run homer in the second game, the Yankees took a doubleader from Texas, 4-3 and 5-2, last night to sweep a three-game series from the Rangers.

"We came in with a little more fire, a little more aggression," Mientkiewicz said. "We came in with a little more attitude and it showed."

Rivera saved two games in one day for the fifth time in his major league career, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the first since Sept. 29, 2004, against Minnesota. Rivera, who has three saves in five chances this season, pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the opener but allowed a pair of singles leading off the ninth in the second game before striking out Gerald Laird and getting Kenny Lofton to ground into a double play.

New York (12-14) moved ahead of Baltimore and out of last in the AL East.

Since owner George Steinbrenner said the team's start was "clearly not acceptable," the Yankees have gone 3-0.

Texas has lost five straight and is last in the AL West, 5 1/2 games behind the division-leading Angels.

The Rangers' Sammy Sosa was hit on the helmet by a Brian Bruney pitch in the sixth inning of the second game. Bruney's 2-and-1 pitch hit Sosa on the side of the helmet, knocking it off. Sosa fell to his knees in the batter's box, was evaluated by trainers, then walked to the dugout under his own strength.

Texas spokesman Gregg Elkin said Sosa was taken out as a precaution. Sosa was being monitored by team trainers and the Rangers said he appeared to be all right.

Mussina (1-1) threw 64 pitches in his first appearance since straining a hamstring April 11. He allowed one run and four hits in five innings.

Robinson Tejeda (3-2) gave up three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Derek Jeter's run-scoring single in the seventh inning of the second game extended his hitting streak to 20 games. Matsui went 4 for 8 with three doubles.

After Luis Vizcaino (2-1) allowed Jerry Hairston's seventh-inning homer that tied the score, 3-3, in the opener, Matsui hit the go-ahead double in the eighth.

Pettitte handed over a 3-2 lead to the bullpen after allowing two runs and five hits in six innings with five strikeouts. He also turned over leads to the bullpen April 15 and 20, only to have Rivera fail to hold them.

Pettitte didn't feel ready after warming up. "It was another struggle for me," he said.

Jeter reached against Joaquin Benoit (0-1) leading off the eighth on an infield single. Bobby Abreu struck out and Jeter advanced on a wild pitch -- after he was nearly picked off but was safe because first baseman Mark Teixeira dropped the ball for an error.

After Alex Rodriguez grounded out, Texas intentionally walked Jason Giambi to pitch to Matsui, who doubled deep to right-center.