BOSTON — Hideki Matsui homered twice and had a career-high seven RBIs, Alex Rodriguez had four hits and the New York Yankees picked up where they left off against the Boston Red Sox with a 23-hit attack and a 20-11 win Friday night.
The Yankees had a season high in runs in the opener of a three-game series just 12 days after completing a four-game sweep of Boston in New York. They also dominated the first game of that series, winning 13-6 with 18 hits.
New York has been rolling against all opponents with a 15-3 record in its last 18 games. The win increased its AL East lead to 7 games over Boston, which began a 10-game homestand after winning its previous three games in Toronto.
That momentum didn't last.
The Yankees scored two runs in the first inning, four in the second, six in the fifth, three in the sixth, one in the seventh and four in the ninth.
Matsui hit three-run homers in the fifth and ninth, giving him 21 for the year, and drove in a run with a groundout in the seventh. He is batting .366 (15 for 41) with two homers and 10 RBIs against the Red Sox this season.
He had plenty of help in this one.
Rodriguez went 4 for 4 after getting just five hits in his previous 25 at-bats. Mark Teixeira and Melky Cabrera had three hits apiece and Teixeira drove in three runs. Derek Jeter went 3 for 5 for his fourth three-hit performance in the last five games and is batting .543 (25 for 46) in his last 11 games.
The Yankees led 12-1 before the Red Sox scored three in the bottom of the fifth off Andy Pettitte (10-6).
RAYS 5, RANGERS 3: At St. Petersburg, Fla., Scott Kazmir took a shutout into the eighth inning, and Ben Zobrist and Carlos Pena homered on consecutive pitches for Tampa Bay. Kazmir (8-7) didn't allow a run until Taylor Teagarden opened the eighth with a homer.
BLUE JAYS 5, ANGELS 4: At Toronto, Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells hit solo homers, and Toronto's Marc Rzepczynski won for the first time in six starts. Angels catcher Mike Napoli hit a three-run homer off Casey Janssen in the ninth but Janssen got pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu to ground out, stranding Howie Kendrick at second, for his first save.
MARINERS 9, INDIANS 4: At Cleveland, Bill Hall drove in two runs in his first game for the Seattle Mariners, helping rookie starter Luke French. Hall, acquired from Milwaukee on Wednesday, had two hits.
TWINS 5, ROYALS 4, 10 innings: At Kansas City, Mo., Minnesota's Orlando Cabrera hit a run-scoring triple in the 10th inning after a rare blown save by Joe Nathan in the ninth. Playing their fourth straight game without first baseman Justin Morneau, the Twins fell behind 3-0, rallied with the help of the Royals and survived some tense moments from Nathan (2-1) late to pull out a difficult victory.
ORIOLES 5, WHITE SOX 1: At Chicago,Brian Roberts hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and had a solo shot in the third to lead Baltimore.
TIGERS 3, ATHLETICS 2: At Oakland, Calif., Ryan Raburn homered in his first two at-bats, Edwin Jackson pitched six strong innings for Detroit.