Raul Ibanez added a titanic homer and Jeter also doubled during a four-run rally to help the Yankees take two of three in an early series between high-priced teams expected to challenge for the American League pennant.
The prime-time crowd for a nationally televised game included Tim Tebow and Dwyane Wade, who sat side by side wearing Yankees caps in the third row next to the Los Angeles dugout. The new backup quarterback for the New York Jets, Tebow was mostly booed when he was shown on the giant video board - but he cracked a smile anyway.
New York spoiled the season debut of Jerome Williams (0-1), who was chased in the third inning, while sending Albert Pujols and the Angels to their sixth defeat in eight games. The $240 million slugger went 1 for 5 with an RBI single in the seventh that cut it to 8-5, but David Robertson retired Mark Trumbo on a bases-loaded fly to end the inning.
Pujols is still looking for his first home run with his new team. He's gone nine games without one, his longest drought to start a season.
In Boston, David Ortiz doubled in the go-ahead run for his seventh consecutive hit and Boston its third straight game over Tampa Bay.
Boston can complete a series sweep in Monday's traditional Patriots' Day game that starts at 11:05 a.m.
Mike Aviles hit his second solo homer in two days from the leadoff spot. He moved there for the first time this season on Saturday when Jacoby Ellsbury went on the 15-day disabled list.
Vicente Padilla (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings.
Alfredo Aceves pitched the ninth for his second save in three opportunities.
In Toronto, Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, Brett Lawrie added a solo shot and the Blue Jays used a seven-run sixth inning to beat Baltimore and avoid what would have been their first three-game sweep by the Orioles since April 2005.
Yunel Escobar had three hits and drove in two runs and Kyle Drabek won his second straight start. Drabek (2-0) allowed one earned run and six hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.
In Minneapolis, Josh Hamilton's two-run homer in the eighth capped a three-run inning for the Rangers and set up Joe Nathan for the save against his former team
Texas completed its first series sweep in Minnesota since 1999.
Glen Perkins walked Ian Kinsler to start the eighth, and Elvis Andrus followed with a triple to bring the Rangers within one. Then Hamilton hit the first pitch he saw from Perkins (0-1) an estimated 449 feet into the upper deck above right field.
Robbie Ross (2-0) struck out three in relief of Neftali Feliz over two scoreless innings for his second win in two days.
In Chicago, Gerald Laird homered among his three hits to back a strong outing by Rick Porcello and lead Detroit to a victory over the White Sox, snapping Chicago's four-game winning streak.
Porcello (1-0) was sharp against an aggressive Chicago lineup. He allowed five hits, struck out four and didn't issue a walk in 7 2-3 innings.
Laird homered to left against Chris Sale (1-1) leading off the third.
The White Sox brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Jose Valverde struck out Dayan Viciedo to end the game.
In Kansas City, Missouri, Travis Hafner hit one of the longest home runs in Kauffman Stadium history, Shelly Duncan homered and drove in three runs and Cleveland romped past the Royals for a three-game sweep.
It got so bad for the Royals outfielder Mitch Maier pitched in the ninth. Maier was the only Kansas City pitcher to not give up a run, working a hitless inning.
Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0), who had not pitched since April 7 while serving a five-game suspension gave up four runs on nine hits and three walks in five innings.
Luis Mendoza (0-2) was pulled after four-plus innings, permitting nine runs — five earned — on nine hits and four walks.
In Seattle, Brendan Ryan hit a two-run homer, Justin Smoak added a solo shot and the Mariners beat Oakland.
Smoak snapped a skid of 11 straight at-bats without a hit when he lined a solo homer to right field with two outs in the third off Graham Godfrey (0-2).
Blake Beavan (1-1) threw seven strong innings.
