New York ? Jeff Weaver made the most out of his rare opportunity to start.

Weaver allowed one run in eight innings and Raul Mondesi homered as the New York Yankees completed a sweep of a split doubleheader with a 3-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

Yankees first baseman Nick Johnson applies the tag as Orioles runner Marty Cordova is picked off at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Yanks swept Tuesday's doubleheader.

“That’s what I’m meant to do,” said Weaver, who has spent most of the past month in the bullpen. “I feel more confident about it and it’s what I do best. I was fortunate I had the opportunity to go out there and start.”

Rookie Juan Rivera drove in two runs, including a tiebreaking single in the seventh, and Andy Pettitte (10-5) allowed one run in 713 innings to lead New York to a 5-2 victory in the opener.

The Yankees have won seven of eight, reducing their magic number to 10 for clinching their fifth straight AL East title.

Weaver (9-11), making his second start since Aug. 1, allowed four hits and retired 20 of his last 21 batters. He has had a tough time cracking the Yankees’ deep starting rotation since being acquired from Detroit on July 5.

“I kidded him before the game, telling him ‘I know you can get the last three outs, let’s see about the first 24,”‘ Torre said. “He said, ‘I do that better.’ He doesn’t lack for confidence.”

Steve Karsay pitched the ninth for his 11th save and seventh straight since Mariano Rivera went on the disabled list Aug. 19.

The Yankees didn’t walk a batter for the sixth straight game, extending their walkless streak to 58 innings since Pettitte walked Boston’s Nomar Garciaparra in the fifth inning last Wednesday.

Only 8,875 fans showed up for opener, a makeup of a June 6 rainout New York’s smallest crowd of the year.

Pettitte left with a 2-1 lead after giving up a one-out double in the eighth to Luis Matos. After an error by first baseman Nick Johnson, Ramiro Mendoza got out of a first-and-third jam by getting Jerry Hairston to hit into a double play.

Mendoza allowed a ninth-inning homer to Tony Batista before Mike Stanton got the last out for his fourth save.

Baltimore starter Jason Johnson (4-13), bothered by an upset stomach, allowed two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Red Sox 12, Devil Rays 1

St. Petersberg, Fla. John Burkett (11-7) allowed one run and six hits in seven innings for Boston, which began the night 7 1/2 games back in the wild card race. He had been 0-4 with an 8.47 ERA in his previous seven starts

Manny Ramirez homered for the second straight day, and has seven homers and 20 RBIs against Tampa Bay this season. Doug Mirabelli and Nomar Garciaparra hit two-run homers.

Joe Kennedy (7-11) lost his third straight start, giving up seven runs and seven hits in six innings.

Blue Jays 5, Indians 4

Cleveland Mark Wohlers (2-4) threw Vernon Wells’ ninth-inning comebacker into center field, allowing Shannon Stewart to score the go-ahead run to score from second.

Cleveland’s Victor Martinez, making his major league debut, singled to drive in a pair of runs in the seventh that tied it 4-all. Brian Bowles (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Kelvim Escobar got his 31st save.

Twins 11, Tigers 4

Minneapolis Torii Hunter hit a three-run homer in the first inning and threw out two runners from center field.

Dustan Mohr went 3-for-4 with a homer for the Twins, who lowered their magic number to five for clinching the AL Central and their first playoff berth since winning the World Series in 1991. Kyle Lohse (12-8) allowed four runs and nine hits in five innings.

Rangers 3, Mariners 2

Arlington, Texas Texas’ record streak of 27 games with a home run ended, but pinch-hitter Todd Greene broke a 2-2 tie with an RBI grounder in the eighth off Joel Pineiro (13-6).

Rich Rodriguez (3-1) needed just one pitch to get the final out of the eighth, and Francisco Cordero struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save.

Angels 5, Athletics 2

Anaheim, Calif. Scott Spiezio homered and drove in three runs, and Ramon Ortiz won his fourth straight decision.

The win was the 11th in 12 games for the Angels, who moved within two games of AL West-leading Oakland and extended their lead over Seattle in the wild-card race to five games.