Yankees' win is old-fashioned

On the eve of Roger Clemens's return, the Yankees pulled out a victory reminiscent of their powerhouse days during the Rocket's first tour in pinstripes.

Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera supplied the pitching, Derek Jeter hit a game-winning infield single in the 10th inning, and host New York overcame a huge defensive mistake to rally past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4, last night and extend a winning streak to four for the first time this season.

It seemed a lot like 1999.

"We didn't plan it like that, but it just happened," Rivera said.

Chris Duffy put Pittsburgh ahead, 4-2, in the seventh with a two-run, inside-the-park homer that sailed over center fielder Melky Cabrera and bounced to the wall, but New York tied the score in the bottom half when Jeter chased Tom Gorzelanny with an RBI single and Jorge Posada hit a run-scoring single off Salomon Torres.

Rivera (2-3) pitched two innings for the first time since last Aug. 27, lowering his ERA to 4.13 with his eighth straight scoreless outing.

"These are the types of games that we've, in the past, have had a habit of winning," manager Joe Torre said.

And today, Clemens makes his first start for the Yankees since 2003.

"We're excited, obviously," Pettitte said. "It's a good time for him to be coming back. We feel a lot better about ourselves."

Mets 3, Tigers 0 -- David Wright and Carlos Delgado each homered and Jorge Sosa won for the sixth time this season as New York blanked host Detroit.

Sosa (6-1) scattered four hits over eight innings in his longest outing of the year. He struck out five and walked two.

Athletics 5, Giants 3 -- Shannon Stewart hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the 10th against a makeshift San Francisco defense that featured a pitcher in right field and third baseman Pedro Feliz at catcher, lifting visiting Oakland.

San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy, out of position players on the bench, was forced to use lefthander Noah Lowry in right field after a collision at the plate forced backup catcher Eliezer Alfonzo out of the game with an apparent leg injury.

Reds 4, Indians 3 -- Homer Bailey benefited from host Cincinnati's three home runs, including the 577th of Ken Griffey's career, to win his major league debut. The Indians loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Bailey struck out David Dellucci looking on his 114th and final pitch.

Royals 8, Phillies 4 -- Mark Grudzielanek and Mike Sweeney homered in a six-run second as Kansas City defeated Philadelphia in the Phillies' first visit to Kaufmann Stadium since the 1980 World Series.

Angels 10, Cardinals 6 -- Casey Kotchman drove in three runs, including two in a six-run seventh that carried Los Angeles in St. Louis.

Marlins 14, Devil Rays 8 -- Trailing, 8-2, after four innings, Jeremy Hermida's grand slam started the comeback for host Florida, which scored 12 unanswered runs.

Dodgers 4, Blue Jays 3 -- After Toronto jumped ahead in the top of the 10th, pinch hitter Olmedo Saenz answered for Los Angeles with a walkoff two-run homer.

Orioles 4, Rockies 2 -- Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer and scored twice, and Steve Trachsel (5-4) worked six solid innings for host Baltimore.

Mariners 6, Padres 5 -- Raul Ibanez homered leading off the top of the 11th, his fourth hit of the night for Seattle, which blew a 5-0 lead.

Nationals 8, Twins 5 -- At Minneapolis, Dmitri Young had three hits and three RBIs and Ryan Zimmerman drove in two runs for Washington.

Astros 5, White Sox 2 -- Chris Sampson (6-5) allowed just six hits over 6 2/3 innings and visiting Houston broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth on Luke Scott's RBI single.

Rangers 9, Brewers 6 -- Sammy Sosa broke out of his slump by going 3 for 5 with an RBI double that capped a four-run bottom of the fourth for Texas.