New York — With Jason Giambi driving one ball after another into the seats, the New York Yankees can overcome just about any deficit these days.
Giambi hit two home runs to reach 300 for his career, and Tony Womack had an 11th-inning single through a five-man infield as New York rallied from a four-run deficit for the second straight day, beating the Los Angeles Angels, 8-7, Sunday.
"As long as those home runs are contributing to wins, I'm happy," Giambi said. "I can't stop and smell the roses now, we've got to keep getting wins."
Brothers Bengie and Jose Molina both homered in a major-league game for the first time, connecting against Randy Johnson, but the Angels still lost their sixth in seven games, trimming their AL West lead to 11â2 games over Oakland.
Derek Jeter had four hits to help the Yankees, who stranded 14 runners. New York took two of three from a longtime nemesis and finished 4-2 on a homestand that included another possible playoff opponent, the Minnesota Twins.
"I think it definitely builds confidence on our team, especially doing it against one of the best bullpens in the game," Alex Rodriguez said. "You have to really battle those guys."
Hideki Matsui tripled off the center-field fence against Kevin Gregg (1-2) to start the 11th, and Angels manager Mike Scioscia brought Chone Figgins in from center field to give his team five infielders. But Womack, who entered as a pinch-runner in the 10th, grounded a one-out single through the left side, ending a four-hour, 20-minute game.
Fans applaud as New York Yankees designated hitter Jason Giambi takes a curtain call. Giambi hit two home runs, leading the Yankees to an 8-7 victory over the L.A. Angels on Sunday in New York.
Tom Gordon (4-4) pitched a perfect 11th for the win.
Making his second major-league start, Chris Bootcheck held the Yankees to five hits through six innings and left with a 4-1 lead before the bullpen and some shoddy defense cost him his first career win.
"It's a tough one to swallow," Bootcheck said. "I was hoping to eat up as many innings as I could and keep us in the ballgame."
Bengie Molina hit a three-run shot in the fourth, his 10th homer this year and second of the series. Jose connected leading off the fifth.
It was the first time brothers homered for the same team in one game since Aug. 11, 2001, when Jason and Jeremy Giambi connected for Oakland against the Yankees, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Red Sox 4, Twins 3
Boston - Manny Ramirez began his new life with the Red Sox with a go-ahead, pinch-hit single in the eighth inning, thrilling the Fenway crowd that thought he might be traded.
Fifty-four minutes after the trading deadline, Ramirez bounced a chopper up the middle to score Edgar Renteria and give the Red Sox their fifth consecutive victory.
Mike Timlin (4-1) allowed two hits and an intentional walk in 11â3 innings.
Blue Jays 5, Rangers 1
Toronto - Gustavo Chacin won his fifth straight start, Vernon Wells homered during a four-run third inning, and the Blue Jays avoided a three-game sweep. Chacin (11-5) went 5-0 with a 2.97 earned-run average in six July starts to become the first Blue Jays rookie to win five games in a month.
Athletics 5, Tigers 2
Oakland, Calif. - Kirk Saarloos (7-6) took a shutout into the ninth, and Nick Swisher homered to lead the Athletics to their 11th win in 12 games.
Jay Payton added his fifth homer since joining the A's from Boston at the All-Star break as Oakland won for the 31st time in 38 games to enter August leading the wild-card race by 11â2 games over the New York Yankees.
Jeremy Bonderman (13-7), coming off a five-game suspension for his role in a brawl July 17 against Kansas City, allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks in six-plus innings.
Indians 9, Mariners 7
Seattle - Jhonny Peralta hit a three-run double and finished with a career-high four RBIs for Cleveland, who took three of four from the Mariners. Jake Westbrook (9-12) gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 52â3. Joel Pineiro (3-7) has won just once since April 26 - July 7 at the Angels - a span of 16 starts.
White Sox 9, Orioles 4
Baltimore - Jermaine Dye and Joe Crede had two RBIs apiece in a five-run first inning, Freddy Garcia earned his first win against Baltimore in three years, and the Chicago White Sox breezed past the Orioles.
Juan Uribe had three hits, and Dye drove in three runs to help Chicago improve baseball's best record to 68-35.
Garcia (11-4) gave up three earned runs and 10 hits in seven innings. The right-hander is 9-1, on the road and 8-1 overall since losing at home to the Orioles on May 14.
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