Shut down nearly all night by Santana, the Yankees rallied for three runs in the ninth inning before Francisco Rodriguez struck out Alex Rodriguez on a 3-2 breaking ball with runners at the corners to end it.
Alex Cora, a late addition to the lineup, got the offense started with a two-run single in a four-run second inning and the Mets took two of three at home in Citi Field for their first Subway Series victory since a rain-shortened two-game sweep at old Yankee Stadium in May 2008.
Santana (4-2) was sharp from the start in a marquee matchup with Sabathia (4-3), earning his first win in five outings since April 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time Cy Young Award winner yielded one run in 7 2-3 innings.
Red Sox 8 Phillies 3: At Philadelphia, Tim Wakefield pitched eight shutout innings for his first victory in nearly a year, and the Red Sox roughed up Roy Halladay.
Kevin Youkilis tripled, homered and scored three runs for Boston.
Wakefield’s allowed five hits and two walks in earning his first win since July 8, 2009, against Oakland. Wakefield (1-2) also earned his 190th career victory as the Red Sox took two of three from the Phillies.
Halladay (6-3), who has a major league-leading four complete games, saw his ERA jump from 1.64 to 2.22 after allowing seven runs, six earned, in 5 2-3 innings.
Indians 4 Reds 3: At Cleveland, Jhonny Peralta singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to help the Indians snap a six-game skid and even the overall series with Cleveland at 33.
David Huff (2-6) gave up three runs and six hits over six innings for his first win in six starts. The left-hander was 0-5 with a 7.33 ERA since his first career complete game April 15.
Scott Rolen hit two homers and drove in all three Reds runs, while starting pitcher Homer Bailey left in the third inning with tightness in his right shoulder.
Peralta lined a two-out single off Daniel Ray Herrera (0-2) to break a 3-3 tie, and Kerry Wood worked the ninth for his first save since Sept. 25.
Nationals 4 Orioles 3, 10 innings: At Washington, Josh Willingham homered in the 10th inning and the Nationals overcame Matt Capps’first blown save to beat Baltimore.
Orioles closer Alfredo Simon left in the 10th after injuring his left hamstring while running to first base to cover on a grounder for the first out. Simon was replaced by Cla Meredith (0-2), who allowed Willingham’s eighth homer, a drive to left-center on a 2-1 pitch.
Brewers 4 Twins 3: At Minneapolis, Trevor Hoffman returned to help Milwaukee’s patchwork pitching staff and Corey Hart and Prince Fielder homered to help the Brewers win for the second time in 13 games.
Hoffman pitched a perfect eighth inning in his 1,000th career appearance, while Manny Parra (1-3) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
John Axfordallowed an RBI-single to Jason Kubel and the Twins had the bases loaded with two outs. But Axford struck out Trevor Plouffeto end it.
Cardinals 6 Angels 5, 10 innings: In St. Louis, Felipe Lopez lofted a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning well over a drawn-in outfield, giving the Cardinals a victory over the Angels.
Ryan Franklin (3-0) struck out three and allowed a bunt hit in two innings, the longest outing of the season for the Cardinals’ closer. St. Louis trailed by four runs in the fourth and two after seven, matching its biggest comeback of the season. The Cardinals took two of three from Los Angeles to wind up a 5-2 homestand.
Mike Napoli homered for the third straight game, a three-run shot off a 3-0 pitch from Chris Carpenter.
Albert Pujolswas 0 for 3 with two walks and committed his first two errors of the season at first base for the Cardinals. Pujols has no RBIs the last nine games.
Cubs 5 Rangers 4: At Arlington, Texas, Carlos Silva became the first Cubs starter in 43 years to have a perfect record after six decisions, working into the sixth inning of Chicago’s interleague series-clinching victory.
Alfonso Soriano’stwo-run homer capped a four-run first that put Silva and the Cubs ahead to stay before the big right-hander had even thrown his first pitch.
Silva (6-0), who came to the Cubs in the offseason trade that sent Milton Bradleyto Seattle, was done after 5 1-3 innings and 81 pitches. He allowed three runs and six hits on a hot, sunny day in Texas.
Ken Holtzman went 9-0 in his 12 starts for the Cubs in 1967.
C.J. Wilson (3-2) allowed five runs over 5 2-3 innings and lost for the first time in seven starts.
Rockies 11 Royals 7: At Kansas City, Mo., Jason Giambi homered and drove in four runs, and Colorado roughed up AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke.
Giambi got the Rockies started against Kansas City’s ace with a three-run homer in the third inning and capped a five-run fourth with an RBI single. Ian Stewart drove in three runs, Troy Tulowitzki homered and the Rockies had 15 hits, chasing Greinke (1-5) after 3 1-3 innings in his shortest outing in nearly two years.
Marlins 13 White Sox 0: At Chicago, Cody Rosshit two of Florida’s five home runs and Jason Johnsonpitched six sharp innings to help the Marlins snap a three-game losing streak.
Ronny Paulino, Dan Uggla, and Jorge Cantualso homered for the Marlins, who scored a season-high 13 runs. Gaby Sanchez, Uggla and Ross all finished with three RBIs.
Johnson (5-1) improved to 5-0 in nine starts since an Opening Day loss to the New York Mets, and has pitched 18 scoreless innings since giving up a run May 13 against the Mets.
Rays 10 Astros 6: At Houston, John Jaso homered and drove in four runs, Ben Zobrist and Hank Blalock added solo shots and the Rays handed the Astros their eighth loss in 10 games.
Carl Crawford stole three bases and scored three runs as the Rays moved their major league-leading road record to 19-5. The Rays are 32-12 overall, the best start since Seattle won 33 of its first 44 in 2001.
David Price (7-1) came in with the top ERA in the AL (1.81), but allowed five runs in five innings. He still got the win after the Rays went ahead in the sixth against Brian Moehler (0-1).
Pedro Felizand Hunter Pence homered for the Astros.
Tigers 6 Dodgers 2: At Los Angeles, Rick Porcello fought off three line drives right back at him to get his first road victory of the season, and the Tigers got home runs from Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez to avoid a three-game sweep.
Porcello (4-4) allowed two runs and nine hits over six innings in his Dodger Stadium debut.
Athletics 3 Giants 0: At Oakland, Calif., Jake Fox hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning and the Athletics completed a three-game sweep in the Bay Bridge Series.
The Giants, held to one run all series, lost their season-high fifth straight.
Adam Rosalesled off the seventh with a single against Jonathan Sanchez (2-4), Mark Ellis sacrificed and Fox followed with the double. Kurt Suzukiand Ryan Sweeneyeach singled in an insurance run in the eighth.
Ben Sheets struck out eight in six scoreless innings but left with the game scoreless.
Padres 8 Mariners 1: At Seattle, Mat Latos allowed a run and four hits over six effective innings for San Diego.
Latos (4-3) walked two and struck out five in his fifth consecutive start of at least six innings pitched. It was also his fifth straight start allowing two runs or less.
Blue Jays 12 Diamondbacks 4: At Phoenix, Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista each hit two-run homers, and the Blue Jays used a big day at the plate to avoid a three-game sweep.
Encarnacion hit three home runs Friday and added another Saturday. Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston thought about giving him Sunday off, but wisely put him in the lineup. He’s 7 for 19 with six homers and 11 RBIs since returning from the disabled list May 17.
Bautista finished with four RBIs, including his two run homer during a five-run fifth inning that staked Shawn Marcum to a big lead. Bautista also had a two-run single in the third.
National League
Pirates 3 Braves 2, 10 innings: At Pittsburgh, Ryan Doumit homered with two outs in the 10th inning off Takashi Saito for his third hit, helping the Pirates avoid a three-game sweep.
Doumit’s first career game-ending homer was his fourth of the season and ended Atlanta’s five-game winning streak and Pittsburgh’s three-game losing streak. The Pirates averaged only two runs while dropping seven of their previous eight at home.
Saito (0-2) retired the first two batters in the 10th before Doumit drove a waist-high pitch into the right field seats, only the sixth homer by Pittsburgh in its last 21 home games.
Octavio Dotel (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the victory, stranding two runners by striking out Martin Prado, who went 0 for 5 while twice grounding into double plays.
