Yanks barely trip El Duque, ChiSox

? Orlando Hernandez was always at his best in big games for the New York Yankees, so they knew exactly what type of effort it would take to beat him.

Mike Mussina outpitched his former teammate, and Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer off El Duque that sent New York to a 3-2 victory Monday night over the Chicago White Sox.

“You knew Duque is going to bend but not break,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “He didn’t give us much, but he walked a couple of guys. That was vintage Duque.”

Mariano Rivera earned his career-best 30th consecutive save, and the Yankees (60-50) moved 10 games over .500 for the first time this season. They improved to 2-32 when scoring three runs or fewer and won for the fourth time in five games overall.

It was New York’s first meeting this season with the AL Central-leading White Sox (72-39), who have the best record in the major leagues.

“We did a lot of good things tonight. It was just a complete, clean ballgame for us,” Torre said. “You’re curious when you haven’t faced a team that has a record like they do, to see how you match up to them. It makes you feel a little better about yourself.”

Hernandez (8-5) received a nice ovation before the game from Yankees fans who remember all he accomplished during two stints in pinstripes from 1998-04. The Cuban right-hander with the deceptive delivery went 61-40 for New York and 9-3 with a 2.65 earned-run average in the postseason.

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, left, and catcher A.J. Pierzynski watch during their loss to the New York Yankees. The Yankees won, 3-2, Monday in New York.

“They are not my teammates anymore. My teammates are the ones here with me, the Chicago White Sox. It’s another team now,” Hernandez said. “I wanted this victory, like all of them. I don’t like to lose.”

Mussina (11-7) struck out Jermaine Dye on his 122nd pitch with runners at second and third to end the sixth.

“That was the first two games,” said Rivera, who finished with a perfect ninth. “Even though a bunch of people had me retiring, I trust my stuff and I know who I am.”

Derek Jeter led off the first inning with a long drive to left-center, but Aaron Rowand robbed him of a triple with a spectacular, diving catch at the edge of the warning track.

Hernandez pumped his fist after the play, and Jeter tapped him on the thigh as he jogged back toward the dugout.

Rowand followed that up with an over-the-shoulder catch at the wall in right-center on Robinson Cano’s shot.

“I’ve never had back-to-back plays like that,” Rowand said. “We had scouting reports, and both times they hit it the other way.”

Red Sox 11, Rangers 6

Boston – Tony Graffanino had three hits and showed rare power with a three-run homer that sparked Boston over Texas in a game between baseball’s two highest-scoring teams.

Graffanino, batting eighth, had the best of his 14 games at second base since being acquired from Kansas City on July 19 to replace the injured Mark Bellhorn. He went 3-for-3 – capped by the homer that made it 8-5 in the fifth – and even was walked intentionally.

Tigers 9, Blue Jays 8, 12 innings

Toronto – Vance Wilson hit a go-ahead single in the 12th, and Detroit ended a three-game losing streak. Vic Darensbourg (1-0) pitched 11â3 innings for the victory, and Craig Dingman got the last two outs of the 12th for his second save.

Mariners 5, Twins 4

Seattle – Jesse Crain walked Jeremy Reed with the bases loaded in the eighth to push across the tiebreaking run, and Seattle rallied. The Mariners loaded the bases off Carlos Silva (7-6) and Crain on singles by Ichiro Suzuki and Willie Bloomquist and a two-out intentional walk to Adrian Beltre. Reed’s walk, for his second RBI of the game, brought in Suzuki from third.