Orlando Hernandez limited the Cleveland Indians to three hits in seven innings and Jorge Posada hit a go-ahead, two-run homer Wednesday that led the New York Yankees over the Indians 5-3.
The Yankees, sent to their most lopsided loss ever in a 22-0 rout on Tuesday, rallied when Posada homered off C.C. Sabathia (10-9) in the fourth inning. John Olerud added a solo homer later in the inning, and Miguel Cairo hit another in the seventh off David Riske for a 4-1 lead.
Hernandez (6-0) was just the second New York starter to win in 17 games since Aug. 13 and helped the Yankees keep a three-and-a-half-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the American League East. Boston beat Anaheim 12-7.
Hernandez struck out seven and didn't allow a runner past second base after the first inning.
Victor Martinez's RBI double in the eighth closed the gap to 4-3, but Mariano Rivera retired Travis Hafner on an inning-ending grounder to end the Cleveland threat.
New York improved to 9-1 in Hernandez' starts this season.
Sabathia, 1-6 against the Yankees in his career, allowed three runs and five hits in six innings.
Red Sox 12, Angels 7
In Boston, Kevin Millar homered and drove in four runs as Boston opened a three-and-a-half-game lead over Anaheim in the AL wild-card race with a win over Anaheim.
It was Boston's eighth straight win, second in a row over the Angels and 14th in its last 15 games. The Red Sox have scored at least 10 runs five times in their last 12. Anaheim is 1-3 after winning nine consecutive games.
Johnny Damon had four of Boston's 16 hits, and Mark Bellhorn, David Ortiz and Orlando Cabrera drove in two runs each.
Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo allowed five runs in two 2-3 innings, ending a streak of 41 games in which Boston starters went at least five innings.
Terry Adams (5-4) pitched two 1-3 scoreless innings for the win.
Other results: Twins 4, Rangers 2; White Sox 5, Athletics 4; Orioles 8, Devil Rays 0; Blue Jays 4, Mariners 2; Royals 1, Tigers 0.
Nomar Garciaparra scored the go-ahead run on Claudio Vargas' wild pitch in the 11th inning Wednesday and Mark Grudzielanek added an RBI single to lead the Chicago Cubs over the Montreal Expos 2-1.
Garciaparra hit a one-out single off Vargas (5-5) in the 11th inning. Sammy Sosa singled one out later and Ramon Martinez walked to load the bases.
Vargas bounced his next pitch in the dirt and past catcher Brian Schneider, allowing Garciaparra to come home with the game's first run.
Grudzielanek singled to center field to make it 2-0, but center fielder Endy Chavez threw Martinez out at the plate to end the inning.
LaTroy Hawkins (4-4) allowed Chavez's RBI grounder in the bottom of the inning, but held on for the win in two innings of relief.
Chicago, which won two of three games from the Expos, holds a slim lead in the National League wild-card race.
Kerry Wood rebounded from his worst outing of the season, striking out 11 while scattering five hits in eight innings for the Cubs.
Other results: Astros 9, Reds 3; Braves 7, Phillies 2; Cardinals 4, Padres 2; Marlins 5, Mets 4; Pirates 5, Brewers 2, 10 innings; Diamondbacks 3, Dodgers 1; Rockies 4, Giants 1.
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