New York ? The Chicago White Sox pulled out all the stops Tuesday night in seizing a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees:

Mercurial Jose Contreras threw what he described as the best game of his career by pitching seven-plus scoreless innings against his former team.

Tadahito Iguchi, the Sox’s latest power hitter, hit an opposite-field home run in the fourth.

Paul Konerko provided timely insurance by hitting a homer in the ninth.

Manager Ozzie Guillen even called on closer Dustin Hermanson, who pitched despite recurring back pain, to induce pinch-hitter Bernie Williams to line out to backup first baseman Geoff Blum with two outs in the ninth and the tying and winning runs on base.

For added measure, a fan, Scott Harper, fell from the upper deck while the Yankees’ Derek Jeter laid down a sacrifice bunt in the eighth. The backstop netting that protects fans sitting in the lower deck behind home plate saved the fan. He slowly crawled on the netting to the club level, where three security officers grabbed and escorted him away.

“That’s New York,” said Guillen, who alerted home-plate umpire Mike Winters to the mishap before play was ready to resume. “Anything can happen.”

For Contreras (7-6), this was a statement game to the Yankees, who gave up on him less than two years after giving him a four-year, $32 million contract.

Contreras constantly kept the formidable Yankees’ lineup off-balance with superb command of his split-finger fastball.

“I hope he brings the same attitude in his next start (against Minnesota on Monday),” Guillen said.

“It seems like every time he pitches against a good-hitting team like Cleveland and the Cubs, he throws a tremendous game. And when he pitches against a team with more kids, he becomes wild.”

Contreras walked two and hit Alex Rodriguez, but the Yankees never had two runners on base against him after the first.

Chicago's Jose Contreras delivers in the fifth inning against the Yankees. The White Sox won, 2-1, Tuesday in New York.

“The funny thing about Contreras is that he doesn’t get hit that much,” Guillen said. “He hits batters, walks people and wild pitches. That’s the thing that has killed him this year.”

Contreras looked very comfortable facing his former team, which dealt him on July 31, 2004, to the Sox because they believed Esteban Loaiza was more seasoned for the playoff race.

Loaiza went 1-2 with an 8.50 earned-run average in 10 games for the Yankees and wasn’t re-signed last winter.

“I’m just happy I got the team the victory because I feel I let the team down in the first half,” Contreras said.

Iguchi gave Contreras a cushion with his 10th homer over the right-field wall.

Konerko’s homer off Alan Embree, however, proved just as essential for the Sox (73-39) because Rodriguez hit Cliff Politte’s first pitch of the ninth over the left-field fence.

Red Sox 8, Rangers 7

Boston – Edgar Renteria lined a sharp single down the third-base line to score Bill Mueller in the 10th inning, and the Red Sox won their 10th straight game at Fenway Park.

Curt Schilling (4-4) allowed one hit and struck out two in two innings for Boston, which won its third in a row.

Orioles 5, Devil Rays 2

Baltimore – Erik Bedard pitched seven strong innings to earn his first victory for the Orioles since May 21.

Eric Byrnes homered for Baltimore, which improved to 3-2 under interim manager Sam Perlozzo.

Bedard (6-4) was 0-3 in four starts since ending a two-month stint on the disabled list July 18. The left-hander gave up two runs, five hits and four walks. B.J. Ryan struck out the side in the ninth for his 24th save.

Blue Jays 6, Tigers 4

Toronto – Dustin McGowan pitched into the seventh inning for his first major-league win, and Aaron Hill and Alex Rios homered to lead the Blue Jays.

Hill hit a two-run shot off Sean Douglass (4-2) in the fifth, and Rios chased Douglass with a three-run drive in the sixth.

McGowan (1-0) allowed four runs and eight hits, while striking out four and walking one in 61â3 innings.

Mariners 1, Twins 0

Seattle – Felix Hernandez, Seattle’s prized 19-year-old prospect, pitched eight shutout innings in his second major-league start.

Hernandez (1-1) allowed five hits, all singles, and struck out six in besting Kyle Lohse (7-11) in a pitching duel.

The young right-hander threw 94 pitches – 69 strikes – and did not walk a single batter.

Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 27th consecutive save.

Angels 9, Athletics 2

Oakland, Calif. – Vladimir Guerrero’s grand slam staked Los Angeles to a seven-run lead in the second inning, and John Lackey pitched seven scoreless innings.

Guerrero had five RBIs, and Darin Erstad drove in two more runs as the Angels capitalized on another shaky start by Rich Harden (9-5) to remove all the drama from the first contest of a key three-game series between the rivals.