BOSTON (AP) — Derek Jeter shook off an injury to tie Willie Mays for 10th place on the career hits list, backing Phil Hughes and helping the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Thursday night to maintain a share of the AL East lead.
New York won consecutive games for the first time in a month and kept pace with the Baltimore Orioles, who completed a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-2, 14-inning win.
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Hughes (15-12) retired his first 10 batters and gave up five hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out seven, walked one and allowed just three runners past first base, ending a streak of seven straight starts in which he allowed home runs. Hughes has given up two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts.
Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 38th save in 41 chances.
Jeter started at designated hitter after leaving Wednesday night’s 5-4 win when he pulled up lame lunging for first base trying to avoid a double-play grounder in the eighth.
He was 0 for 3 then blooped a run-scoring single to center field in the seventh inning for the 3,283rd hit of his career to match Mays. Eddie Collins is next at 3,313.
New York, which led the division by 10 games before play on July 19, went 5-5 on a trip to Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Boston.
After winning back to back for the first time since taking three straight from Texas over Aug. 13-15, the Yankees return home for nine games against the Rays, Toronto and Oakland, then play three games at Minnesota and four at Toronto before finishing up with a three-game series in the Bronx against Boston.
Boston lost for the 13th time in 15 games, lowering its magic number for AL East elimination to two. TheRed Sox fielded a lineup with only five players who started the season in the majors. Dustin Pedroia missed the game to be with his wife, who gave birth to their second child.
Felix Doubront (10-9) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings, dropping to 0-5 with a 7.38 ERA in his last eight starts.
New York loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth on a single by Alex Rodriguez, who stole second, and walks to Robinson Cano and Russell Martin. Andruw Jones hit a sacrifice fly, and Curtis Granderson lined out to first baseman James Loney, who stepped on first for a double play.
Doubront was chased with one out in the seventh when he walked Steve Pearce and allowed a single to Eduardo Nunez. Junichi Tazawa gave up Jeter’s single.
NOTES: Yankees LHP Andy Pettitte is scheduled to start against Toronto on Tuesday, his first appearance since June 27 when his left ankle was broken by a liner from Cleveland’s Casey Kotchman. … Comedian Bill Cosby threw out the ceremonial first pitch. … Actors Larry David and Jon Hamm were in the crowd. … Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5) turned 32 on Thursday. He is scheduled to pitch for Boston on Friday night against Aaron Laffey (3-5) in the opener of a three-game series at Toronto. … CC Sabathia (13-5) starts for the Yankees on Friday against David Price (17-5).
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