Yankees show their power
Jeter, Damon, A-Rod bring down Braves
Alex Rodriguez tied Reggie Jackson with his 563d home run and Mariano Rivera earned his 499th career save in the New York Yankees’ 11-7 victory over the Braves last night in Atlanta.
The Yankees have won two straight after a three-game losing streak. New York took sole possession of second place in the AL East and moved four games behind Boston.
Rodriguez, who has driven in six runs in his last seven at-bats, gave the Yankees a 10-6 lead with a two-run single in the seventh off reliever Peter Moylan. Rodriguez hit his 10th homer in the first, a solo shot, to tie Jackson for 11th place on baseball’s career list. Rodriguez and Johnny Damon finished with four RBIs.
It was Rodriguez’s first road homer since connecting on the first swing of his season at Baltimore May 8 and his first multihit game since going 5 for 5 at Texas on May 25.
Rivera, who needs one save to join Trevor Hoffman as the only pitchers with 500, faced one batter, retiring pinch-hitter Diory Hernandez on a fly out, to strand two runners. Rivera has converted 17 of 18 chances this season.
Jeter went 4 for 5, scored four runs and reached on a walk and an error. Damon, whose three-run triple in the third gave the Yankees a 6-1 lead, also had an RBI single to make it 11-6 in the eighth. His 95 career triples are the most of any active player.
Atlanta scored five runs in the fourth off Yankees starter Andy Pettitte as the lefthander was chased when Yunel Escobar’s two-run single cut the lead to 8-6 with two out in third. Pettitte gave up seven hits, six runs - three earned - and three walks with four strikeouts. Reliever Alfredo Aceves (5-1) got the win.
Derek Lowe (7-6) lost his third straight start, failing to retire a batter in the fourth and allowing seven hits, six runs - four earned - and walked three with four strikeouts in three innings.
The Braves had their second consecutive defeat and fourth in the last six games.
Aceves struck out Garret Anderson to strand two runners in the fourth. He and Phil Coke combined to pitch 4 1/3 scoreless innings before David Roberston gave up Brian McCann’s eighth homer in the ninth to end the scoring.
Tigers 6, Cubs 5 - Magglio Ordonez ended a career-long, 40-game drought without a home run by connecting for the go-ahead shot, leading host Detroit to its seventh straight victory.
Ordonez connected for a two-run homer in the fourth inning. The AL Central leaders held on to complete the sweep, and matched their longest winning streak of the season.
Mets 3, Cardinals 2 - Johan Santana bested Chris Carpenter in a matchup of Cy Young Award winners, and New York beat visiting St. Louis to win its first series since early June.
Nick Evans hit a two-run double in a three-run fourth inning for the Mets, who gave up an unearned run in the first and then rallied before a crowd of 41,221, the largest in Citi Field history and the first sellout since opening day. A 50 percent discount was offered on some tickets.
Pirates 3, Indians 2 - Andrew McCutchen hit a game-ending bloop single to score Jack Wilson and give host Pittsburgh a come-from-behind victory over Cleveland.
Rays 10, Phillies 4 - Willy Aybar homered and drove in three runs as a replacement for an injured Evan Longoria in St. Petersburg, Fla., leading Tampa Bay over Philadelphia.
Rangers 9, Diamondbacks 8 - Chris Davis (a two-run shot) and David Murphy hit back-to-back home runs in the 12th inning to pace visiting Texas.
Astros 5, Royals 4 - Lance Berkman homered twice and drove in four runs to help host Houston overcome an error-filled day and beat Kansas City.
Twins 6, Brewers 4 - Denard Span tripled, walked three times, and scored three runs in his first game back from the disabled list, and visiting Minnesota extended its dominance over Milwaukee.
White Sox 6, Dodgers 5 - Scott Podsednik lined a two-out RBI single in front of diving center fielder Matt Kemp in the 13th inning to lift host Chicago over Los Angeles.
Mariners 9, Padres 3 - Ichiro Suzuki lined the 29th leadoff homer of his career into the right-field seats and finished a triple short of the cycle, and host Seattle gave starter Jarrod Washburn (4-5) his first win in more than two months.
Marlins 11, Orioles 3 - Hanley Ramirez hit a grand slam, and Cody Ross and Dan Uggla each homered as Florida cruised past Baltimore in Miami.
Reds 7, Blue Jays 5 - Joey Votto hit a tiebreaking home run among his four hits and visiting Cincinnati avoided a sweep. 