Jeter leads Yanks over Red Sox 7-2

[August 09, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Derek Jeter passed Babe Ruth on the career hits list and drove in three runs and Dustin Moseley filled in admirably for an injured A.J. Burnett, leading the New York Yankees to a 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.

Mark Teixeira hit his 25th homer, becoming the fourth player to hit at least 25 in each of his first eight big league seasons, and Lance Berkman won over Yankees fans with two doubles -- and not hitting Alex Rodriguez again.

Rodriguez was back in the lineup a day after he was struck on his left leg by Berkman's grounder during batting practice Saturday and missed the Yankees' win. A-Rod was feeling so good Sunday, he stole his first base since May 8. It was his 300th career steal.

Jeter broke a tie with The Babe for 39th place on the career hits list with an RBI single in the second inning, his 2,874th hit. Jeter waved his helmet to an exuberant crowd and Rodriguez retrieved the milestone ball that was rolled toward the Yankees dugout as fans chanted "Der-ek Je-ter!" Jeter doubled in two runs in the fifth to give New York a 7-1 lead and end Josh Beckett's night with a Bronx cheer.

The captain's single and a run scored on an error by second baseman Bill Hall -- one of two errors by Red Sox playing positions in place of injured stars -- was all Moseley (2-1) needed. In the rotation because Andy Pettitte is on the disabled list with a strained groin, Moseley moved up a day when Burnett tweaked his back throwing on flat ground. In his third start, the right-hander worked the corners with a fastball that rarely exceeded 90 mph and gave up six hits and two runs, including a homer to Hall.

Moseley eked out of a bases loaded jam he created with two, two-out walks after a single by Victor Martinez. He got Ryan Kalish to ground out to Teixeira at first base.

He was lifted for Joba Chamberlain with one out in the seventh inning and runners on first and third. Pinch-hitter Mike Lowell had an infield single to make it 7-2. After an out Chamberlain walked the bases loaded and Boone Logan relieved and induced Yankees-beater David Ortiz to slap a grounder to second baseman Robinson Cano playing on the outfield grass to end it.

In the second inning, Berkman sent a ball down the right-field line for his first extra-base hit with the Yankees in 23 at-bats. He scored when Hall made a diving stop on Brett Gardner's groundball but his throw sailed past first base for an error.

Gardner scored on Jeter's hit to make it 2-0.

Teixeira homered leading off the fifth against Beckett (3-2) and Berkman followed a walk and hit batter with a one-out RBI doubled down the third-base line to make it 4-1.

Cano was hit twice in the fifth, once by Beckett and again by catcher Kevin Cash, whose throw to third hit him in the helmet as he was diving back to the bag. Cano jumped up and raced home. Jeter added a two-run double to right-center.

Beckett allowed seven runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings, his worst start of four since coming off the disabled list on Jul 23.

Nick Swisher took a likely homer away from Adrian Beltre with a catch above the right field wall to end the second inning.

NOTES: Red Sox manager Terry Francona said 2B Dustin Pedroia (broken left foot) ran the bases a couple of times and had "a really good day." He said Pedroia still has not run at full speed. ... The three other players to hit at least 25 homers in first eight seasons are Eddie Mathews, Darryl Strawberry and Albert Pujols, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... Jacoby Ellsbury went 0 for 4 and is 0 for 16 since coming off the DL. ... A-Rod became 10th player with 1,500 runs, 2,500 hits, 200 HRs and 300 SB.

[Associated Press; By HOWIE RUMBERG]

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