Milwaukee ? The Milwaukee Brewers are getting the clutch performances that the New York Yankees used to be known for.

Ben Sheets won for the first time since opening day and the Brewers again held off Derek Jeter and the punchless Yankees, sending New York to its ninth loss in 10 games with a 2-1 win Tuesday night.

“They’re still a good ballclub no matter what people say,” insisted Bill Hall, whose two-run homer proved to be the difference. “They might be struggling in the win-loss column, but I’m sure any GM would take that lineup any day of the week.

“On paper, it looks like they’re going to beat us three games in a row, 20-0. But let’s play it on the field, and I’ll match our heart with any team’s.”

For the second straight night, Jeter represented the go-ahead run but made the last out.

“You never want to put yourself in that situation,” said closer Derrick Turnbow, who jammed Jeter for a comebacker to the mound one night after watching him line an outside fastball to the opposite field. “Sooner or later your luck will run out.”

Jeter, who stranded the potential tying run at third, said the pitch looked exactly the same as it did the night before.

“It started in the same spot but ran into me. I wish I could flip-flop the days and maybe get different results,” he said.

Sheets (2-5) allowed just two singles in seven strong innings, his third start since coming off the disabled list. He walked five and struck out five before turning things over to his stellar bullpen.

Ricky Bottalico pitched a hitless eighth and Turnbow got his 10th save in 12 chances. But not until he escaped a jam, just as he did the night before – when Geoff Jenkins ran down Jeter’s drive in the right-field corner to preserve a 4-3 victory.

This time, Jenkins nearly made a diving grab of Robinson Cano’s liner to right-center, but the ball squirted free for a double that left runners at second and third with one out.

Bernie Williams’ RBI groundout gave the Yankees a run, but Jeter bounced back to the mound on the first pitch to end it.

“I was trying to get something in,” Turnbow said. “He went away with it last night.”

Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said his team is pushing its luck by allowing Jeter to come up in the ninth, “but you just feel good about Turnbow out there.”

Yankees right-hander Carl Pavano (4-5) allowed just five hits in six solid innings, but one was a two-run homer to Hall.

White Sox 2, Rockies 1

Denver – Jose Contreras pitched six solid innings, and Jermaine Dye and A.J. Pierzynski each had an RBI single to lead the White Sox.

Milwaukee Brewers starter Ben Sheets throws a pitch during the third inning against the New York Yankees. Sheets won Tuesday in Milwaukee, contributing to New York's ongoing woes.

Contreras allowed five hits and earned his third win in 12 starts, helping Chicago improve its major league-leading record to 39-19.

The White Sox have won five of six and are 20 games over .500 for the first time since they ended the 2000 season 95-67, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Nationals 2, Athletics 1

Washington – Nick Johnson kept up his torrid homestand with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead the first-place Nationals to their eighth win in nine games.

Johnson went 2-for-3 with a walk, raising his average on the eight-game homestand to .560 (14-for-25), and the first baseman’s nifty scoop of a one-hop throw completed a double play to end a threat in the eighth.

Reds 9, Devil Rays 7

Cincinnati – Relief pitcher Randy Keisler homered and doubled Tuesday night, leading the Cincinnati Reds’ comeback from a five-run deficit.

Keisler (2-0) took over in the second inning for Ramon Ortiz, who got only five outs while falling behind 6-1. The left-hander struck out a career-high eight in 61â3 innings – the longest outing by a Reds reliever in 15 years – and got Cincinnati’s biggest hits as well.

Mariners 4, Marlins 3

Miami – A throwing error by Florida reliever Jim Mecir fueled Seattle’s two-run eighth inning and enabled the Mariners to win for the seventh time in nine games.

Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa (1-1) got just two outs and Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 17th save in 18 opportunities.

Pirates 6, Orioles 5

Pittsburgh – Jack Wilson’s go-ahead solo homer followed Daryle Ward’s tying three-run shot in the eighth inning and the Pirates rallied from a five-run deficit.

The Orioles were cruising with a 5-0 lead behind rookie Hayden Penn after getting four solo homers in five innings off Dave Williams. Pittsburgh scored twice in the sixth on reliever John Parrish’s run-scoring wild pitch and Ward’s RBI double. Ward drove in four runs.

Braves 3, Angels 2

Atlanta – Horacio Ramirez sent a message right away, then pitched eight strong innings to lead the struggling Braves.

Ramirez also had two of Atlanta’s nine hits, equaling a career high, and Rafael Furcal’s seventh-inning homer proved to be crucial for the Braves.

Phillies 8, Rangers 5

Philadelphia – Placido Polanco drove in three runs, Bobby Abreu homered and Jon Lieber pitched effectively into the seventh inning to win his third straight start.

Cardinals 9, Red Sox 2

St. Louis – Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders homered off previously unbeaten Matt Clement, and Jeff Suppan worked six solid innings to lead the Cardinals, who have won the first two games of the three-game interleague series by a combined score of 16-3.

Blue Jays 6, Cubs 4

Chicago – Aaron Hill drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the eighth inning, and Greg Zaun added an RBI single for the Blue Jays, who won for the second consecutive night.

Indians 2, Padres 0

San Diego – Khalil Greene’s two-out throwing error allowed the Cleveland Indians to snap a scoreless tie in the 11th.

The Padres have been shut out in back-to-back games, extending their scoreless streak to 22 innings.

Twins 9, D’backs 8

Phoenix – Torii Hunter homered twice among his four hits and scored four runs to lead the Twins to their eighth win in nine games.

Hunter singled in the ninth and scored the go-ahead run on Jacque Jones’ RBI single.

Tigers 8, Dodgers 4

Los Angeles – Tony Giarratano hit his first major league homer, and Dmitri Young and Ivan Rodriguez also hit solo shots for the Tigers. Detroit’s Chris Spurling pitched a perfect sixth inning to get the win.