NEW YORK — Real fast, Nick Swisher and the New York Yankees got real comfortable against James Shields.
Swisher homered to key a five-run burst in the first inning against Shields and the Yankees beat Tampa Bay 8-3 on Tuesday night, opening a 2 1 /2-game lead over the Rays in the American League East.
The Yankees cut their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to three over Boston. The Rays hold a 6 1 /2-game lead in the wild-card race over Boston, which lost 9-1 to Baltimore.
Shields (13-13) started against the Yankees for the sixth time this season. He had done well in his previous outings, but this time they figured him out in a hurry.
“This is two in a row we faced him. We made some adjustments, he made some adjustments,” Swisher said. “Tonight, we put it on him.”
It’s a pattern that’s troubled the Rays rotation for the past few weeks - aside from aceDavid Price, their starters have struggled. Tampa Bay’s third consecutive loss left it 8-10 with a 5.32 ERA in September.
“First inning, I made two or three bad pitches,” Shields said. “You let five runs in the first inning, that’s definitely not doing my job. With this team, you definitely can’t do that.”
Tampa Bay nicked Phil Hughes (17-8) and relievers Javier Vazquez and Joba Chamberlain, but never quite got the big hit it needed while stranding 10 runners.
Ahead 7-3, Chamberlain escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth by striking outpinch-hitter Brad Hawpe and getting John Jaso on a liner to center. Chamberlain finished for his third save.
New York has won the first two in this four-game series and pulled even at 8-8 with the Rays this season.
“I think we all pretty much know what’s at stake,” Swisher said. “Take the Rays and us and line us up, and let’s see what happens.
“Getting kind of chilly out there. Smells like playoff baseball,” he said.
Robinson Cano blooped an opposite-field, two-run double to left in front of a diving Carl Crawford for a 7-3 lead in the seventh. Derek Jeter doubled home a run in the eighth.
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet, but I like what I’ve seen,” Jeter said. “Right now it seems like things are starting to click a little bit.”
A bright moon hung over the right-field facade when the game began, and Swisher hit a shot into the bleachers on Shields’ sixth pitch for his 27th home run. Jorge Posada hit an RBI single with two outs, Lance Berkman boomed a two-run double and Curtis Granderson’s single made it 5-0.
“We put our ‘A’ lineup out there,” Swisher said.
Shields backed up the plate on Granderson’s hit and slammed his pitching hand into his glove and shouted at himself. Shields had a word, too, for plate umpire Mike Everitt in the third inning after he ruled Posada was hit by pitch.
The ball skipped past Posada’s shin and he instantly headed toward first base - it was impossible to tell from replays whether the pitch grazed his pants leg and besides, umpires make that call based on sound, rather than sight.
Shields, catcher Jaso and Manager Joe Maddon calmly discussed it with Everitt, surely still smarting from Jeter’s admitted act last week after a Rays pitch hit the knob of his bat, not him. Maddon came out again when the inning ended to talk withEveritt.
Maddon said his “guys told me it didn’t hit him.”
“But we’re in New York, we’re also close to the theater district and more power to them,” Maddon said.
TWINS 6, INDIANS 4
Minnesota is one game away from the AL Central title. Denard Span’s RBI single highlighted a four-run eighth inning to rally the host Twins over Cleveland, reducing theirmagic number to one. The Twins trailed 4-2 in the eighth. Delmon Young had an RBI double and pinch-hitter Jose Morales added the game-tying sacrifice fly before Span’s single scored Danny Valencia for the lead. Orlando Hudson added an RBI double to finish off the burst. The Twins entered the game needing a victory over Cleveland and a loss by the White Sox in Oakland to clinch their sixth division title in nine seasons.
ORIOLES 9, RED SOX 1
Ty Wigginton hit a tie-breaking three-run home run in the seventh and Brad Bergesen pitched six strong innings to lead Baltimore over host Boston.
ROYALS 9, TIGERS 6
Mike Aviles drove in three runs, rookie Jerrod Dyson scored three times and visiting Kansas City beat Detroit.
BLUE JAYS 5, MARINERS 3
Vernon Wells and Travis Snider hit two-run home runs, Edwin Encarnacion added a shot and host Toronto beat Seattle.
ANGELS 2, RANGERS 0 Ervin Santana (17-9) allowed five hits while earning his career-best 17th victory, and host Los Angeles again slowed Texas’ march to the AL West title.
National League REDS 4, BREWERS 3 Edinson Volquez allowed one run over eight innings and visiting Cincinnati held on for the victory. Jim Edmonds homered before hurting himself rounding the bases and the Reds didn’t make it easy in the ninth. Closer Francisco Cordero converted his 38th save,but two runs scored with two outs on two errors when rightfielder Jay Bruce made a wild throw that also went through Cordero’s legs.
PIRATES 5, CARDINALS 2
Paul Maholm became the latest slumping pitcher to shut down fast-fading St. Louis and host Pittsburgh won its season-high fourth in a row.
NATIONALS 9, ASTROS 4
Ivan Rodriguez hit a tying home run off the left-field pole to spark a seven-run rally with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning as Washington beat visiting Houston.
MARLINS 5, METS 2
Gaby Sanchez hit a tie-breaking three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for host Florida in a victory over New York. The loss officially eliminated the Mets from playing in the postseason.
GIANTS 1, CUBS 0 Matt Cain and three relievers pitched a combined two-hitter, Buster Posey homered and NL West-leading San Francisco beat Carlos Zambrano and host Chicago.
PADRES 6, DODGERS 0 Clayton Richard pitched his first shutout and complete game, Ryan Ludwick drove in four runs and visiting San Diego defeated Los Angeles to remain a half-game back in the NL West.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, ROCKIES 1 Kelly Johnson hit a two-run home run to back Joe Saunders’ eight-inning gem for host Arizona. Colorado fell 2 1 /2 games back in the NL West.
Tuesday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE Philadelphia 5, Atlanta 3 Washington 8, Houston 4 Pittsburgh 5, St. Louis 2 Florida 5, NY Mets 2 San Francisco 1, Chicago Cubs 0 Cincinnati 4, Milwaukee 3 Arizona 3, Colorado 1 San Diego 6, LA Dodgers 0 AMERICAN LEAGUE Kansas City 9, Detroit 6 NY Yankees 8, Tampa Bay 3 Toronto 5, Seattle 3 Baltimore 9, Boston 1 Minnesota 6, Cleveland 4 LA Angels 2, Texas 0 Chicago White Sox at Oakland, (n)
Sports, Pages 19 on 09/22/2010