MLB:Back-to-back jacks lift Yankees

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada hit back-to-back homers leading off the eighth inning and New York beat Toronto 7-5 on Tuesday night for its eighth win in nine games.
Matsui hit a 3-2 pitch from Jesse Carlson (1-5) deep to right to tie it at 4 and Posada followed with an opposite-field drive that just got over the glove of leaping right fielder Joe Inglett and survived a video review. Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon added RBI singles off Josh Roenicke to make it 7-4.
New York has hit consecutive homers in three straight games for the first time since 1983 and has gone back-to-back 13 times this season.
David Robertson (2-1) retired the only batter he faced to get the win and Mariano Rivera allowed Edwin Encarnacion’s first homer with Toronto before finishing for his 33rd save in 34 opportunities.
Indians 5, Rangers 0CLEVELAND ó Aaron Laffey pitched effectively into the seventh inning to remain undefeated at home for Cleveland.
Orioles 3, Athletics 2
BALTIMORE ó David Hernandez outpitched Trevor Cahill in a duel between rookie right-handers, and Baltimore ended a nine-game losing streak against Oakland.
Red Sox 7, Tigers 5
BOSTON ó Mike Lowell, who entered the game after Kevin Youkilis was ejected for charging the mound and inciting a bench-clearing scuffle, hit two home runs to lead Boston.
Lowell hit a solo homer in the third to break a 3-3 tie, then added a two-run shot in the fifth to make it 6-3. He scored on Jason Bay’s three-run homer after entering the game in the second as a pinch-runner when Detroit starter Rick Porcello was ejected for hitting Youkilis and sparking the melee.
Angels 6, Rays 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. ó Ervin Santana pitched a three-hitter for his first home win of the season, and Jeff Mathis hit a three-run double for Los Angeles.
White Sox 3, Mariners 1
SEATTLE ó Chicago’s Alexi Ramirez hit a three-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth off closer David Aardsma.
Royals 14, Twins 6
MINNEAPOLIS ó Miguel Olivo homered and drove in three runs, and Kansas City had its highest run total of the season.
Olivo and David DeJesus both had three hits for the Royals.
Joe Mauer had three hits and Orlando Cabrera extended his career-best hitting streak to 20 games for Minnesota.