NEW YORK, 10 August 2005 — Alex Rodriguez belted a two-run homer and Mike Mussina provided six gritty innings as the New York Yankees jumped out to an early lead then held on to edge the Chicago White Sox 3-2 at Yankee Stadium on Monday.

Mussina (11-7) surrendered two runs on eight hits and struck out seven without a walk to take credit for the win, before handing the game over to the bullpen.

Tanyon Sturtze and Tom Gordon each contributed one shutout inning while Mariano Rivera took over in the ninth, getting the final three outs and a career-best 30th consecutive save.

“I’m out there trying to get as far into the game as I could,” Mussina said. “Today I was using everything I had.

“It was a lot of work, but it’s satisfying to get a win.”

Ex-Yankee Orlando Hernandez (8-5), who received a warm welcome from New York fans, was charged with loss, surrendering all three runs on four hits.

The Yankees took a 2-0 first inning lead on Rodriguez’s AL-best 32nd homer of the season.

In the second, Derek Jeter tagged on another run to the New York lead with an RBI ground out scoring Tino Martinez.

In Boston, Tony Graffanino had a three-run homer and David Ortiz added a two-run shot as the Red Sox romped to an 11-6 win over the Texas Rangers.

Graffanino finished the night a perfect three-for-three with four RBIs and three runs scored while Johnny Damon drove in a pair and Jason Varitek scored twice.

Jeremi Gonzalez (2-1) picked up the win, tossing 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while Steve Karsay (0-1) absorbed the loss, allowing four runs — three earned — in two innings of work.

In Toronto, Vance Wilson’s 12th inning RBI single scored Dmitri Young with the winning run as the Detroit Tigers edged the Blue Jays 9-8.

Carlos Guillen homered for the Tigers while Rondell White contributed three hits and a pair of RBIs.

Magglio Ordonez also drove in a pair of runs.

Vic Darensborg (1-0) worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.

Alex Rios, Corey Koskie and Orlando Hudson all homered for the Blue Jays.

In Seattle, Jeremy Reed pushed across the go-ahead run with an eighth inning bases loaded walk as the Mariners spotted the Minnesota Twins an early lead then rallied for a 5-4 win.

After the Twins jumped out to a 4-0 advantage, the Mariners struck for five unanswered runs, capping the comeback when Reed took his second walk of the game to score Ichiro Suzuki.

Reed also singled in the fourth, driving in a pair of runs, while Chris Snelling chipped in with a solo home run.

George Sherrill (1-0) came on in the eighth to get two outs and the win, while Eddie Guardado pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save.