Wang hurt, A-Rod homers as Yanks crush Astros 13-0

[June 16, 2008]  HOUSTON (AP) -- Chien-Ming Wang pitched five scoreless innings before spraining his right foot running the bases, and Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer in the New York Yankees' 13-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Wang (8-2) pulled up as he rounded third on Derek Jeter's two-run single during the Yankees' eight-run sixth inning. He hopped the rest of the way home and pointed to his right foot after scoring. A trainer rushed from the dugout to check on him and Wang was helped off the field.

Getting a rare chance to hit against an NL team, Wang had reached base on a bunt that turned into a fielder's choice.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Wang would undergo tests on Monday in New York to determine the severity of his injury. He said Wang was wearing a soft cast and was on crutches.

"I'm not going to speculate on anything," Girardi said. "We'll have the tests tomorrow and then decide what the best plan of action is."

He did acknowledge that he doesn't expect Wang to make his next start.

"I wouldn't think so," Girardi said. "I'd be shocked."

Wang was relieved in the sixth inning by Ross Ohlendorf.

Rodriguez hit his 185th homer as a Yankee later in the New York sixth, tying Paul O'Neill for 16th on the franchise's all-time list. Rodriguez reached 1,540 RBIs on the home run, passing Joe DiMaggio and tying Willie Stargell for 40th all-time.

Roy Oswalt (5-7) gave up seven runs on eight hits and matched season highs in walks (four) and pitches (117).

Jorge Posada added a two-run homer and Robinson Cano a two-run single as New York won for the ninth time in 12 games. The Yankees have also won eight of their last 11 road games.

The Astros have lost nine of 11 and dropped five straight home games for the first time since August 2006. Houston was swept for the second time this season and has lost six consecutive series.

Oswalt needed 72 pitches to get through the first three innings as the Yankees took him deep in counts on almost every at-bat.

Hideki Matsui doubled with two outs in the third and Oswalt walked Rodriguez and Jason Giambi to load the bases. Oswalt then walked Posada to force in Matsui and make it 1-0.

Cano, mired in an 0-for-17 slump coming into the series, then shattered his bat on a two-run bloop down the left-field line.

Wang breezed through the first five innings in 71 pitches, allowing six hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Oswalt was already over 100 before the top of the sixth, when the Yankees broke the game open.

After Posada and Cano singled, Wang bunted. Oswalt threw to third to get Posada as Wang took first. Damon singled to load the bases for Jeter, whose hit drove in Cano and the hobbling Wang.

As Wang was helped off the field, Houston manager Cecil Cooper brought in left-hander Wesley Wright to relieve Oswalt. Matsui singled to center, scoring Damon, before Rodriguez hit his 12th homer of the season to left.

Wright hit Giambi with a pitch before Posada hit his third homer of the season for an 11-0 lead. The Yankees added two more runs in the eighth off Oscar Villareal.

Notes: Jeter leads the majors with 262 hits in interleague play. ... Darin Erstad made his third start at 1B this season in place of Lance Berkman, who took a day off. ... The Yankees have a 116-81 record in interleague play, the best winning percentage of any team (.588).

[Associated Press; By CHRIS DUNCAN]

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