Nick Swisher’s home run sent the Rays to their season-high seventh straight loss.
(Bill Kostroun/Associated Press)
Roundup
Nick Swisher hit his second home run of the game, connecting with one out in the ninth inning to lift the Yankees over Tampa Bay, 3-2, last night in New York and send the Rays to their season-high seventh straight loss.
The switch-hitting Swisher connected from both sides of the plate. He won it with a lefthanded shot off Dan Wheeler (4-4).
Derek Jeter struck out three times and remained stuck in his longest slump of the year, moving no closer to the Yankees hit record held by Lou Gehrig.
Rays rookie David Price fanned Jeter his first three times up, twice catching him looking. The Yankees star had nothing to show for four at-bats, leaving him in an 0-for-12 rut and still four hits from surpassing Gehrig’s total of 2,721.
Mariano Rivera (2-2) pitched a perfect ninth as the Yankees won for the 12th time in 15 games and got their major league-leading 90th win of the season, surpassing last year’s total.
Swisher homered in the second and Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single in the sixth.
Jason Bartlett greeted Yankees reliever Phil Hughes with a leadoff home run in the eighth, tying it at 2. Evan Longoria hit his 30th homer the previous inning off starter Chad Gaudin.
Rangers sweep Indians, 11-9, 10-5 - Rookie Julio Borbon homered twice in the first game and Marlon Byrd had seven hits in the doubleheader to help Texas complete a two-game sweep in Cleveland.
Texas pulled within two games of Boston for the AL wild card. Byrd went 4 for 4 in the first game, including the homer, and 3 for 5 in the nightcap.
Phillies 5, Nationals 3 - Visiting Philadelphia hit five solo home runs - including three in the seventh inning - and became the 12th team in major league history with a 30-homer foursome in beating Washington.
Raul Ibanez went long for the 29th and 30th times this season and Chase Utley hit No. 30, joining Ryan Howard (38) and Jayson Werth (32) in Philadelphia’s 30-homer club for 2009.
Athletics 11, White Sox 3 - Jack Cust hit a three-run homer and Mark Ellis followed with a solo shot, fueling a five-run first inning and leading visiting Oakland past host Chicago.
Blue Jays 6, Twins 3 - John McDonald hit a three-run homer to key a six-run sixth inning as host Toronto beat Minnesota.
Royals 7, Tigers 5 - Billy Butler drove in two runs and Kansas City’s bullpen pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings to end visiting Detroit’s six-game winning streak.
Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 4 - Ronnie Belliard hit the last of Los Angeles’s five two-out singles in the eighth inning, breaking a tie for the victory over host Arizona.
Rockies 3, Reds 1 - Jason Marquis scattered four hits over 7 1/3 innings, Eric Young Jr. hit his first major league homer and Colorado beat Cincinnati in Denver.
Padres 4, Giants 3 - Chase Headley homered and singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as visiting San Diego spoiled an impressive major league debut by San Francisco starter Madison Bumgarner.
Angels 3, Mariners 2 - Erick Aybar’s two-out single drove home Bobby Abreu in the 10th inning, and host Los Angeles overcame All-Star closer Brian Fuentes’s latest blown save for a victory over Seattle.
Cubs 9, Pirates 4 - Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, and Kosuke Fukudome had two-run hits as visiting Chicago tied a record by getting hits from its first eight batters in handing host Pittsburgh its 11th loss in 12 games.
Marlins 4, Mets 2 - Hanley Ramirez and Cameron Maybin each hit a long two-run homer, and visiting Florida beat New York to keep up its surprising playoff push.
Cardinals 4, Brewers 3 - Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer off Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth as St. Louis rallied for a victory in Milwaukee.
Braves 2, Astros 1 - Javier Vazquez struck out nine in seven shutout innings and host Atlanta snapped a five-game skid with a win in Houston.
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