NEW YORK, 8 June 2004 — Mike Mussina allowed four hits over eight-plus innings and Jason Giambi homered in his first game off the disabled list to guide the New York Yankees to a 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers in the American League on Sunday.
The Yankees have won 11 of their last 13 games to rebound from a slow start and take over first place in the AL East. New York lead Boston by 2 1/2 games.
Mussina (7-4) carried a shutout into the ninth at Yankee Stadium before being charged with one run while striking out a season-high 10 batters and walking none.
Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth and escaped a jam to pick up his 23rd save of the season and lower his ERA to 1.10.
An eighth-inning homer by Giambi, who has been absent with a sprained right ankle since May 21, put the Yankees ahead 2-0 after Bernie Williams homered in the fourth. Williams was batting leadoff for New York for the first time in eight years as Derek Jeter sat out his second straight game with a groin injury. He responded by going 3-for-4 to pace New York’s seven-hit attack. Alex Rodriguez added two hits for the Yankees.
Ryan Drese (2-3) pitched a complete game for the Rangers, allowing two runs on seven hits over eight innings with five strikeouts and one walk.
In Kansas City, Johnny Damon’s two-run double highlighted a five-run sixth inning, which sparked the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 triumph over the Royals.
Damon delivered three hits and drove in two runs while Pokey Reese had two hits and drove in a run. Derek Lowe (5-5) went five innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits before Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for his 11th save of the season.
In Baltimore, BJ Surhoff had two hits and drove in two runs as the Orioles edged the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-4. Rafael Palmeiro and Javy Lopez both had two hits and scored twice for Baltimore. Rodrigo Lopez (5-2) allowed three runs on 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings and Jorge Julio pitched the ninth for his ninth save of the season.
In Minneapolis, Joe Mauer’s first major league homer, a three-run blast in the eighth inning, nudged the Minnesota Twins past the Detroit Tigers 6-5.
Lew Ford and Matthew LeCroy also homered for the Twins. JC Romero (3-1) recorded one out for the win before Joe Nathan claimed his 15th save of the season despite allowing two runs on three hits in the ninth.
In Oakland, Eric Byrnes homered and Scott Hatteberg drove in three runs as the Athletics overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3. Bobby Crosby had three hits and scored two runs for Oakland. Mark Redman (4-3) allowed three runs on four hits over five innings for the win.
In Anaheim, CC Sabathia tossed a four-hitter over seven shutout innings to inspire the Cleveland Indians to a 7-0 rout of the Angels. Sabathia (3-3) had a no-hitter until the sixth and finished up with six strikeouts and two walks. Omar Vizquel homered and drove in two runs while Victor Martinez and Ron Belliard drove in two runs apiece.
In Seattle, Billy Koch walked Jolbert Cabrera for the winning run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4. Randy Winn homered and had four hits for Seattle. Shigetoshi Hasegawa (2-3) pitched 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief for the victory.
