Yankees Keep Scoring Against Devil Rays

The New York Yankees spent the weekend taking what appeared to be extended batting practice against Tampa Bay pitchers. <br/><br/>The Yankees had 25 hits, reaching 20 in consecutive games for the first

Monday, July 23rd 2007, 7:43 am

By: News On 6

The New York Yankees spent the weekend taking what appeared to be extended batting practice against Tampa Bay pitchers.

The Yankees had 25 hits, reaching 20 in consecutive games for the first time in more than 100 years in a 21-4 rout of the Devil Rays on Sunday. On Saturday, the Yankees had 20 hits in a 17-5 win that finished off a day-night doubleheader sweep.

``I've never seen anything like it,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``Even in batting practice you don't get hits every time you swing the bat.''

Recently called up rookie Shelley Duncan homered twice, including a three-run drive that capped a 10-run fourth inning, and Alex Rodriguez, batting with sunglasses on a sunny afternoon, hit his major league-leading 34th homer and No. 498 of his career.

Hideki Matsui, Bobby Abreu and Robinson Cano also homered to give the Yankees six home runs in a game for the first time in two years.

Matsui tied his regular-season high with five hits, and every Yankees starter had a hit, a run and an RBI.

``I think after a doubleheader it was impressive,'' Rodriguez said. ``After a doubleheader, I was wondering how we were going to respond.''

The Yankees, a season-best five games over .500 and 7 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Boston, took three of four from the Devil Rays, hitting .408 in the series with 49 runs, 62 hits and 11 homers. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees franchise last had back-to-back 20-hit games on Aug. 23 and 25, 1902, when the team was playing in Baltimore.

``When you have a big day like this, you can't feel content,'' Duncan said.

New York is 9-3 since the All-Star break, playing two series with Tampa Bay around one with Toronto, and is scheduled for 16 more games against teams with losing records before a trip to Cleveland on Aug. 10.

In other AL games, it was: Kansas City 5, Detroit 2; Toronto 8, Seattle 0; Boston 8, Chicago 5; Los Angeles 7, Minnesota 2; Baltimore 2, Oakland 0; and Cleveland 8, Texas 3.

With the score 3-all, New York broke open the game with 10 runs in the fourth. Cano tripled leading off, and the Yankees made it 10-3 on six RBI singles and a throwing error by catcher Dioner Navarro.

Duncan's first homer came off reliever Casey Fossum and made it 13-3, and his second was a leadoff drive off Shawn Camp in the sixth. Music from ``The Natural'' played as Duncan rounded the bases.

``It's a crazy experience,'' Duncan said. ``You kind of get frozen in the moment.''

When he came to bat with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, he was greeted with chants of ``Shel-ley! Shel-ley!''

Andy Pettitte (6-6) won his 12th straight decision against the Devil Rays, improving to 13-1 against Tampa Bay.

James Shields (8-6) lost for the sixth time in nine starts, allowing 10 runs, 10 hits and four walks in 3 1-3 innings. Eleven of his final 14 batters reached base.

``It's embarrassing. It's absolutely embarrassing,'' Shields said. ``This wasn't us this weekend. We're better than that.''

Indians 8, Rangers 3

Victor Martinez, Josh Barfield and Jason Michaels drove in two runs apiece for the Indians.

Barfield went 3-for-4 and scored two runs and Casey Blake also had three hits for visiting Cleveland, which won three of four against the Rangers and moved within a game of first-place Detroit in the AL Central.

Paul Byrd (8-4) gave up two runs and three hits in 5 2-3 innings for the Indians.

Robinson Tejeda (5-9) allowed five runs, three earned, and five hits in five innings for Texas.

Royals 5, Tigers 2

Brian Bannister (6-6) allowed four hits in seven innings and Esteban German homered for visiting Kansas City, which went 5-4 on a trip against playoff contenders Boston, Cleveland and Detroit.

The Tigers, who lead the AL Central, dropped two of three against the Royals, their first series defeat since losing two of three to Minnesota from June 29-July 1.

Nate Robertson (6-7) allowed five runs _ four earned _ and 11 hits in six-plus innings.

Blue Jays 8, Mariners 0

Roy Halladay (11-4) threw a three-hitter, Troy Glaus hit a three-run homer and host Toronto shut out Seattle for the second straight game.

Aaron Hill and Gregg Zaun added solo home runs for Toronto.

Seattle right-hander Felix Hernandez (6-6) allowed six runs and seven hits over six innings. He walked four _ one intentional _ and struck out seven.

Red Sox 8, White Sox 5

Manny Ramirez homered and drove in four runs, Mike Lowell added a three-run shot and host Boston outscored Chicago 29-10 in the final three games of the series.

With the loss, the White Sox fell into a tie for last place in the AL Central with the Kansas City Royals.

Tim Wakefield (11-9) allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings for Boston. He struck out two and walked two.

Jon Garland (7-7) allowed six runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings to snap a three-game road winning streak.

Angels 7, Twins 2

Joe Saunders (4-0) allowed two runs in seven innings and Garret Anderson snapped a homerless drought for visiting Los Angeles that spanned 14 consecutive games and 134 1-3 innings.

Matt Garza (1-2) allowed four runs _ three earned _ on seven hits in 5 1-3 innings for the Twins, falling to 0-7 lifetime at the Metrodome.

Orioles 2, Athletics 0

Jeremy Guthrie (6-3) combined with two relievers on a two-hitter, and Kevin Millar and Jay Payton hit a run-scoring singles for visiting Baltimore.

Oakland's Dallas Braden (1-5) gave up three hits and four walks in seven innings, his longest outing in his six career starts.