From Wire Reports

NEW YORK - Mariano Rivera flashed his classic form just in time.

The New York Yankees closer pitched himself in and out of trouble yesterday, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth inning and preserving a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees had lost the first two games of the series.

After Mike Mussina (11-6) pitched six shutout innings, Rivera took over in the ninth with a 2-0 lead. The Red Sox quickly scored a run and were poised to get more, but Rivera struck out Coco Crisp, got Jason Varitek on a popup and fanned Julio Lugo for his 23rd save.

Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner, two of New York's three healthy outfielders, each drove in a run and made a nice play in the field. Cabrera had an RBI single in the second, and Gardner's sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the sixth.

Rookie Justin Masterson (4-3) hit three batters, threw a wild pitch and walked two, but managed to hold the Yankees in check in his six innings.

The teams combined for seven hit batsmen, matching a modern major-league record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Substitute Texas starter stymies O's

BALTIMORE - Ian Kinsler homered, German Duran and Michael Young had three hits apiece, and the Texas Rangers used a sharp pitching performance by substitute starter Scott Feldman to beat Baltimore 5-3.

Moved up in the rotation after Eric Hurley was scratched with a hamstring injury, Feldman (3-3) allowed three runs and three hits in the first, then blanked the Orioles on two hits until his departure after the sixth inning. He has two wins in six days after going eight consecutive starts without one.

Kinsler, who came into the game with an AL-leading .325 batting average, went 2 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 17 games. His two-run homer off Lance Cormier (1-3) in the sixth put the Rangers ahead 4-3.

Nick Markakis had two hits and two RBI for the Orioles, who fell to 5-28 when scoring three runs or fewer. Brian Burres allowed three runs and nine hits in 51/3 innings, the sixth time in seven starts he failed to go six innings.

Tampa Bay wins its sixth straight

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Andy Sonnanstine pitched seven strong innings, Ben Zobrist homered again and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 for their sixth consecutive win.

Zobrist homered for the third consecutive game as the Rays increased their AL East lead to a season-high four games over second-place Boston. Tampa Bay has won 10 of 11.

Sonnanstine (10-3) won his fourth consecutive decision.

Floyd, home runs lift White Sox

CHICAGO - Gavin Floyd pitched 71/3 scoreless innings for his 10th win, and Nick Swisher, Brian Anderson and Alexei Ramirez homered in the Chicago White Sox's 6-1 victory over the Athletics. Oakland had captured the first two games of the four-game series to cool off the White Sox, who had won seven consecutive before the A's came to town.

Floyd (10-4), who was 8-10 in his career entering this season, allowed only three singles, walking three and striking out six. Oakland's Ryan Sweeney - who was part of the trade that sent Swisher to the White Sox in the offseason - spoiled the shutout with a solo homer leading off the ninth against reliever Scott Linebrink.

Mauer powers Twins past Cleveland

MINNEAPOLIS - Joe Mauer homered, walked three times and scored three runs to help Kevin Slowey and the streaking Minnesota Twins rally past Cleveland Indians 9-6.

Craig Monroe and Alexi Casilla hit two-run doubles, and the Twins rebounded from the Indians' five-run second inning by scoring five times in the sixth. Grady Sizemore's league-leading 22nd home run was the lone highlight for last-place Cleveland, which lost its seventh consecutive.