Thu, May 26, 2005 - Page 19 News List

Mussina leads Yankees past .500

MAJOR LEAGUES New York (24-21) finished with a season-high six home runs, four off starter Ledezma (2-4), and won for the 13th time in 15 games

AP , NEW YORKAP, MIAMI, FLORIDA

Sergio Mitre of the Cubs pitches against the Astros at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois on Monday. Ryan Dempster pitched the ninth for his fourth save as Chicago won 4-2.

PHOTO: AFP

Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada each homered twice, and the surging New York Yankees routed the Detroit Tigers 12-3 Tuesday behind Mike Mussina to move three games over .500 for the first time this season.

Both of A-Rod's home runs came off Wilfredo Ledezma, giving him four homers in four career at-bats against the left-hander.

"I think it's pretty obvious that he's comfortable against him," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said.

Robinson Cano hit his first major league homer and Gary Sheffield also connected, showing his sore left hand is healthy enough for him to hit.

Mussina (5-2) allowed six hits in seven shutout innings, winning his fourth straight decision in a span of five starts. He improved to 16-5 against the Tigers.

"It's good to see us come out after the off day and keep the momentum going," Mussina said. "The last two years I got off to a little bit of a slow start and I've been able to figure things out five or six starts into the season. We're playing more like we thought we would, more like we think we're capable of."

Posada homered from both sides of the plate for the sixth time in his career and drove in four runs. Rodriguez increased his major league-leading total to 16 homers with the 39th multihomer game of his career.

Blue Jays 9, Red Sox 6

In Toronto, Reed Johnson homered twice, including a game-ending three-run drive in the ninth inning as Toronto downed Boston.

With the score 6-6, Orlando Hudson singled with one out in the ninth off Alan Embree (1-2), John McDonald walked and Johnson hit his second homer of the game.

Miguel Batista (3-0), Toronto's fifth pitcher, threw 1 1-3 hitless innings.

David Ortiz had three RBIs for the Red Sox, who started a six-game trip to Toronto and New York.

In his second start since coming off the disabled list, David Wells gave up five runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings for Boston.

Devil Rays 5, Athletics 4

In St. Petersburg, Florida, Josh Phelps homered and had three RBIs, and Julio Lugo snapped a seventh inning tie with a run-scoring single for Tampa Bay's win over Oakland.

Reliever Travis Harper (1-2) bailed the Devil Rays out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of seventh and got two outs in the eighth for the win. Danys Baez pitched the last 1 1-3 innings for his fifth save in eight opportunities.

Phelps went 3-for-4, including an RBI single and two-run homer off Oakland starter Seth Etherton. He also doubled off Kirk Saarloos (1-3) in the sixth.

Scott Hatteberg hit a two-run homer and Eric Chavez had three hits for Oakland.

Orioles 3, Mariners 2

In Baltimore, Jay Gibbons homered to break an eighth-inning tie, and Baltimore rallied to beat Seattle and spoil the return of former manager Mike Hargrove.

Melvin Mora had three hits and drove in a run for the Orioles, who stranded 13 runners but got the clutch hits they needed late in the game.

After Baltimore pulled even in the seventh inning, Gibbons hit a solo shot to center off J.J. Putz (1-1) to give the Orioles their first lead.

Todd Williams (4-3) worked a perfect eighth and B.J. Ryan got three outs for his 13th save.

On a night in which the Orioles activated Sammy Sosa from the 15-day disabled list, they lost catcher Javy Lopez, who broke a bone in his right hand.

Twins 6, Indians 3, 11 innings

In Cleveland, Justin Morneau dropped in a three-run double just out of center fielder Grady Sizemore's reach with two outs in the 11th inning as Minnesota downed Cleveland.

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