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

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

After Mike Mussina 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.

The Yankees won after losing the first two games of the series to Boston.

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.

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 rookie right-hander allowed six hits in his first appearance against New York.

Dustin Pedroia went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games for Boston, which almost dealt the Yankees a heartbreaking loss.

Mussina (11-6) allowed four hits and walked one in his first win over the Red Sox since June 5, 2006. He was 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in his previous six games against Boston.

Jose Veras and Kyle Farnsworth each worked a perfect inning to set up Rivera, who hit two batters in the ninth.

Boston’s first four batters reached against Rivera, who surrendered an RBI single to Mike Lowell for his first run in a save situation this season.

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



Rangers 5, Orioles 3

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

Moved up in the rotation after Eric Hurley was scratched with a hamstring injury, Feldman (3-3) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. The right-hander allowed three runs and three hits in the first, then blanked the Orioles on two hits until his departure.

He left with a 4-3 lead, and the bullpen preserved the advantage. Feldman has two wins in six days after going eight consecutive starts without one.



Rays 3, Royals 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Andy Sonnanstine pitched five-hit ball over seven innings and Tampa Bay beat Kansas City for its sixth straight win.

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. J.P Howell pitched the eighth inning and Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his third save.



White Sox 6, Athletics 1

CHICAGO—Gavin Floyd pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings to get his 10th victory and Nick Swisher, Brian Anderson and Alexei Ramirez homered in Chicago’s win over Oakland.

Oakland had captured the first two games of the four-game series to cool off the White Sox, who’d won seven straight 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.